Darkness In Paradise
by Black Wolfess
Summary: It's been a year since the boys defeated Xemnas & The Organization. But as they travel to a world foreign to even the King, will they be able to overcome their greatest challenge yet? May bump up to M later on. Wolf's Rain/Kingdom Hearts. Soku & Kisume
1. Prolouge To Darkness

**-Prolouge To Darkness-**

The world was nothing but a blur of green shadows and thick vegetation as it flew past the alabaster wolf. He glanced around wildly, golden eyes frantically searching for a twist or obstacle to hinder the pursuit of those _things_, whatever they were, even for a moment. The dense, untraversable woodland surrounding him seemed to laugh back at him. There was no escape, no exit; his only choice was to stand and fight. He had already tried to fight them. There was no wolven abroad that could defeat the white wolf, but these things were even more elusive than him. They seemed to assimilate from pure ebonite shadows, uncountable in number and indestructible. Sure, he'd taken a bite or two out of the lot of them, but they didn't seem hindered. They acted as ravenous as starved wolves, tearing and biting at him relentlessly until he was forced to flee or die. They seemed to be after something he couldn't quite give them, and as the snapping of brittle underbrush grew louder behind him, he wondered just what that something _was_.

The sudden stinging in his thighs and biceps reminded him that he had been running from these things for almost ten minutes now. Strings of liquid fire seemed to braid into his sinew and muscle, searing his poor appendages with a sting he hadn't felt since his pack had journeyed to this place. He needed to loose them, and fast. He began his frenzied observations once more, this time catching a sliver of moonlight from between two far off trees. With a sharp intake of breath, and newfound persistence, he pushed himself even harder, making the fire subside and replace itself with electrifying adrenaline. His legs began to pump feverishly, pounding the soil with a pace that a racehorse would be envious of. As he neared the light, the sounds of his attackers slowly faded. Upon its absence, he glanced behind him, and didn't see the fallen trunk that lay before him.

The canine hit the wooden barricade hard, sent flipping over it and down the hill it rested on with the same speed he'd been running. Pain shot through every nerve ending in his body as he hit a multitude of rocks, indentations, and roots, tumbling violently down the incline. The fall only took about half a minute, but it seemed like hours to him until he hit the bottom. With a sickening sound, he hit the grassy soil of the large clearing at the bottom of the valley. He rolled a few times but eventually stopped near the center. He lay there for a moment, unable to see let alone look around. His breathing came in short, raspy breaths, body numbed by the short-lived but constant battery of the fall. His head spun relentlessly for a minute or so before he finally opened his eyes.

When his honeyed opticals surveyed his surroundings, he saw nothing but the peaceful blackness of a summer's night. He was at the bottom of a large bowl-shaped valley, nothing but dark forest encircling it and moonlight in it. He pushed himself upright, gritting his massive canines at the pain that shot through every fiber of his being. The fire he'd felt only moments ago returned tenfold, burning through the animal excruciatingly. He hung his head in exhaustion, tongue lolling out of his moth as his chest rose and fell deeply. He did not move from that spot for quite some time, crimson streaks intermingling with his bleached coat from the various injuries he'd received from the fall and the fight. A rather large cut above his left eye was the most troublesome. He watched a drop of it slip off the bridge of his nose and splash on to a blade of grass below him. And, for the first time, he also noticed the scurrying sounds that were slowly surrounding him.

Large, yellow eyes stared back into his own. Six of the obscure creatures surrounded him in a loose circle, hissing softly and clicking to each other. They fiddled their fingers and crumpled antennae, looking from each other to the wolf with an emotionless, wide-eyed stare. They were completely obsidian, surrounded by subtle wisps of purplish smoke. The white wolf stared in amazement at them. But soon, that look of wonder turned into one of malice. He folded his ears against his skull, bearing his canines fully and raising the rigid hackles along his spine. A low, deep growl welled inside his throat, resembling thunder more than an animalistic sound. His parted his jaws slightly, letting the sound grow a slight bit louder. He knew that he was going to have to fight again. But this time, he would _win_…

The last things he remembered were the sudden pain in the center of his back, the heavy weight of the black creatures on top of him, the pain that they caused when they began dug into him, and a grey blur yelling 'Kiba!'


	2. Wolves In The City

**-Wolves In The City-**

The sky was a swirled mess of raindrops and parchment-colored clouds that hung ominously over the city. In the place of afternoon sunshine, random flickers of blue-white lightening illuminated the barren cobblestone and empty sidewalks of the square. Amongst the incessant pitter-patter of the falling rain, nothing was heard save for the footfalls of the only two people not waiting it out in the buildings.

"Well, this sucks." Sora laughed, listening to Riku's ever so optimistic commentary. He turned to look at the eighteen year old, silver-haired boy with a smirk.

"Aww c'mon Riku! It's not _that_ bad. Or are you afraid that you're hair might frizz up?" he teased, getting in return a glare that was inhuman. But upon the start of the brunette's musical laughter, that glare faded into sheer delight. Riku soon started laughing as well.

"I hate how you do that." Sora's blue eyes sparkled quizzically in the faint light.

"Do what?" he asked confusedly, his head slightly tilted to the right. Riku rolled his seafoam eyes and reached out to ruffle the youth's spiky chocolate locks.

"_That_." Sora blinked as the elder boy cupped his cheek in his palm, smiling gently at him with a look of absolute enamourment. Sora's cheeks flushed crimson and he smiled as he brought his hand up to Riku's. He entwined his fingers with the elder boy's, and dropped their linked hands to his side. A rather large, wet raindrop splashed against his cheek, and he suddenly remembered that time still existed. He looked up at the clouds and sighed.

"It looks like we're not going to get any reprieve from this storm." He looked over at Riku and smiled. "That means we'd better find some shelter." Riku nodded and looked around at the desolate streets. He nodded.

"There's probably a hotel or a bar around somewhere. We'll just have to wait it out there."

"I don't sense any heartless nearby, either." Sora added, zipping his black leather trench coat tighter around him. "So we can relax for now." The pair started off in a random direction, following one of the four large roads leading away from the square. They walked along in contented silence for a time before Riku spoke up.

"Isn't this exciting?!" Sora looked over at him.

"What? Wandering around aimlessly in an insanely dark and creepy city at night and in the rain?" Sarcasm dripped off of his overdramaticized words. "That's not really my idea of…"

"No, Sora. The fact that this is our first adventure together in almost three years!" Sora grinned at Riku's almost childlike excitement. He'd never really thought about it.

"Yeah, I guess it is…"

"I mean, the break back at the Island was okay, but this feels great!" He summoned Oblivion, the black, latticework keyblade appearing in his hand with a slight popping noise. He let go of Sora's hand and began swinging it around playfully, parrying and jabbing at an enemy that wasn't there. "Fighting side by side, like when we beat Xemnas. Just like old times…" Sora smiled mildly. He walked to his friend, placing a hand on his shoulder. Riku ceased his invisible duel and beamed at him.

"Yeah, it's pretty great. But you have to remember that we need to be on guard." Sora's voice dropped into a seriousness that it seldom held. "You know as well as I do how many warnings the King sent us in our summons letter. He said this was one world he'd never been to, let alone knew existed. And just like I do, you can also feel just how overpowering the sense of darkness is here." He looked around, Riku following his gaze. "I've never felt anything this strong, even when we were in Castle Oblivion." The platinum-haired teen nodded quietly, allowing Oblivion to dissipate into the air with a soft electrified sound. Sora looked at him with a loving smile. "And as excited as I am to finally fight alongside you, we need to remember why it is we're here."

"I…understand." Riku whispered, smiling at Sora with somewhat a sense of guilt. _'Since when is Sora so serious?'_

"I'm glad." Sora kissed Riku and the cheek and locked hands with him once more. "Now, let's find us some shelter before I melt." Riku chuckled softly as they began to walk once more. They wandered around for quite some time until he spotted the faint, blue glow of a neon sign. He pointed at it. Sora laughed. "Hmm. Bernie's Bar & Grill. We Only Use Real Meat." He laughed and shook his head, eyes glittering at Riku maliciously. "Well, _that_ title's a knockout for sure!" They both laughed softly, but managed to subdue it before entering the place. A small bell above the door sounded cheerily as they pushed it open, condescending the atmosphere of the building. Three or four patrons sat at the small wooden tables, hunched over their drinks with an almost obsessive air. Sora looked over at the bar, a man polishing glasses absentmindedly behind it.

"Hey there! Welcome friends! What can I do ya for?" He smiled as he looked up, but froze as soon as his eyes landed on them. A look of terror unlike anything Sora had seen slowly took over his pallored face. He backed up slowly, breath short and fearful. Sora cocked a brow.

"Are you okay, sir?" The other patrons in the place looked up at the sound of his voice, eyes widening and the color draining from their cheeks. They too began to scramble to the back wall of the bar. Sora shook his head. "What's wrong with you guys?" He looked at Riku, who just shrugged innocently. He then noticed that they were still holding hands. He groaned and rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me you're homophobic…"

"W…wolves…" Sora looked over at the bartender who was cowering in the corner. "_Wolves_ in my bar…" Sora smiled.

"Phew! For a minute there, I thought you were scared because of this!" He looked at their interlocked hands. "But I'd much rather be…hey, wait a second! Wolves?" He looked back up at the bartender to find the barrel of a shotgun pointed straight at him. He froze momentarily, but then smiled and held up his palms. "No wait a second, boys. We're not wolves! We're just passing through and…"

"You demons! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SHOP!" The bartender pulled the trigger, sending out bullets that narrowly missed the couple. The boys tore out of the doorway and into the street, legs pounding the pavement. The sounds of the fearful customers rang clear in their heads, terrified noises never ceasing until they finally cut into a shabby alleyway at least a half a mile away. They both leaned against opposite walls, Sora with his hands on his knees and Riku leaning against the wall exhaustedly. They both panted in uncomfortable silence until their breathing steadied.

"Wolves?!" Sora looked up at Riku. "They thought we were _wolves_?!" Sora shrugged.

"I guess so."

"But…but…we're just _us_! We don't even have fur or anything!" Sora walked to the back of the alley, confused beyond imagination and more so frustrated. He slipped by a puddle, but almost instantly stopped and returned to it. He squatted down and peered at his reflection, eyes widening in shock.

"Riku…" Riku looked over at him, following his motions to come over. He looked at Sora, and then at the puddle.

"What? It's a puddle…" Sora shook his head.

"No…your reflection…" Riku leaned down and peered at the blurred face that started back at him in the water. Once the ripples cleared, the couple both took in a sharp breath of air.

Staring back at them from the murky depths of the pool were two wolves. The one who mirrored Sora was a deep chocolate color, a darker mocha staining his muzzle and belly. The darker color also cloaked his legs to the elbows and knees, his paws a lighter shade of grey. His necklace was the only thing that remained the same. Riku's reflection showcased a grey wolf with alabaster-tipped fur, a powdery blue scrollwork heart on his shoulder. His eyes widened, and so did the wolf's. The boys looked at each other, then back at the wolves in the water. After a few seconds, they realized that those wolves were_ them_. Sora gulped, licking his dry lips as he stood back up.

"Well, I guess we really are wolves." Riku couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from his reflection.

"And you're okay with this?!" Sora shrugged, looking back at his love who he now saw in his true wolven form.

"Well yeah. It's no different from when I visited the Pride Lands. I turned into a lion there." Riku guffawed, and Sora laughed. "It's really not all that bad. You just have to get used to it."

"But…I don't understand…" Riku looked up at Sora with his seafoam eyes, the only feature of him that hadn't changed. "Why didn't we know it until now?" Sora's blue eyes attained a look of confusion.

"I'm not sure. But the people didn't notice until we said something, either." Sora laughed. "For all we know, we're growling at each other right now!" Riku smiled at his partner's optimism, amusedly noting how his tail began to wag. "We'll be alright. We just have to teach you how to wield a keyblade when you have four legs." Riku smiled and nodded, Sora turning towards the opening of the alley. "C'mon." The pair trotted to the mouth of the passageway, cautiously glancing around the empty streets. Sora looked across the way and saw a rather large forest staring back at him. He looked at Riku. "We can sleep somewhere in there for the night and figure out what's next in the morning." The male looked at Sora and grinned.

"I trust you, Sora. Whatever sounds good to you sounds good to me." Sora beamed at him and licked his nose.

"Just promise me not to go off and start tracking Little Red, okay?" Riku laughed, and the two ran to the woods, nothing but streaks of silver and mocha under the dim sky.


	3. Wolf Tracks

**-Wolf Tracks-**

The warm sunshine that might've otherwise pleasantly awoken the pair was quite absent amongst the dense canopy of the woodlands. They had taken refuge in a small bed of soft ferns, between two rather large oaks. They were curled into each other like a compact wolven, half chocolate and half silver. A robin landed in the branches some feet above them and began to sing brilliantly, a song that shot Sora straight out of sleep and into the land of the living. He yawned, jaws parting wide enough to swallow the small creature and a few of its fellows. Upon the sight of his canines, however, the bird made an odd gurgling chirp and flew away. Sora chuckled softly, shaking his head. He looked down at Riku, who had his head laid across Sora's crossed front paws. He gave a half-hearted smile as he watched him sleep. They'd been running almost the entire night, trying to find a place descent enough for sleep. Everywhere they seemed to turn led them into even more jagged turf and uninviting dark. But, then again, they weren't used to sleeping in the _woods_. He glanced upwards again, keen eyes picking out the tiny patches of the tan sky that shown through the dense leaves above him. It wasn't much different than yesterday, except for the absence of rain and the awkwardly warm temperature. His sensitive ears picked up the soft gurgling of water somewhere nearby, and he suddenly became very thirsty. He licked his dry, black lips and decided to find the small stream. He nudged Riku's head softly with his nose, but the silver wolf simply moved his head off of Sora's forelegs and curled tighter into a ball. Sora smiled warmly, watching him sleep. He hadn't been peaceful like this since he's gotten home. The only time he seemed relaxed and unafraid of seeing Xemnas' reflection in his own was when he was sleeping. He felt so bad for him…

He shook his head clear of those unhappy thoughts and stood up. 'Best not to think about it.' He thought, arching his back like a cat, and giving another wide yawn. He decided not to bother Riku.

He followed the sound briefly until he found the stream. It was wider than he had anticipated, but still shallow enough to walk across and only get his ankles and wrists wet. It snaked under a spot cleared of an overhead canopy, giving it the illusion of matching the sky in hue. A small makeshift sandbar stood halfway between its banks, water flowing around it carelessly. He trekked down to one of its sandy shores and smiled at his reflection in the ever-moving current. He still couldn't believe he was a wolf! It had always been one of his favorite animals. He loved the way they seemed to sing when they howled, and how beautiful they were in and of themselves. And now that he was one, he found himself envying them _more_. He could hear a thousand different sounds from miles around him, some faint and some loud enough for him to know exactly what they were. His delicate nose picked up every scent within that radius as well, from the soft, wet soil to the humid air around him. His keen vision let him absorb the forested haven he had gained new dominion over in vivid detail. It was full of bright, radiant color even in the faint light. It was so much more peaceful than everyday civilization. As he relaxed on his haunches, he sighed. It was hard to believe that the absolute power of the darkness he'd felt upon arrival _actually_ existed here. He leaned down and lapped up some of the water contentedly, entangled in his thoughts and observations, and anything but ready for what happened next.

A deafening crash sounded from the vegetation on the opposite side of the stream as the undergrowth was ripped open. A wolf slightly smaller than Sora rolled violently out of the cavity and into the stream, splashing to a halt not even fifteen feet away from him. He scrambled to get up and onto the small island between Sora and the opposite bank, facing the gap he'd just come tumbling out of. Sora stood up rigidly, a little stunned by the canine's sudden entrance. He looked over the animal quickly. He was a light shade of brown, much lighter than Sora, with a tan color staining his underbelly, muzzle, and legs. He was a little lanky, but normal save for the four silver bracelets the looped around his front right wrist. Mud matted his chest and legs, and numerous scratches bled lightly all over his body. He looked like he'd been in one hell of a fight. Sora paid particular attention to a rather large gash on the wolf's shoulder. He took a tentative step towards him. As the tiny splash caused by his paw sounded a trickle that would've been absent to human hearing, the creature did an about-face and faced Sora with wild eyes. Sora froze, the frightened animal breathing heavily at the sight of the stranger. Now that he saw the wolf's face, he didn't look any older than one or two years. He was still a pup!

"Hey…you're bleeding…" He said softly, trying not to spook him. He was still unclear if other wolves could understand him. The younger wolf kept on panting, looking Sora over in a panic. "What's wrong?" The pup simply shook his head from side to side.

"I can't…I can't beat them…" Sora looked into the pup's terrified golden eyes. "I can't…_kill_ them…"

"Kill what? What's after you?" Before the opposite animal could answer, the shrubbery exploded once more to make way for a horde of Shadow heartless. Sora leaped in front of the other canine, calling the Kingdom Key into his mouth and slicing them violently. He hit about three in that first swing, slicing them in half instantly. They vanished into the air. He pivoted on his frontal paws when he landed, leaping back over the animal and cutting down two more behind him. He stood beside the pup, encircled by the creatures that he loathed so very much. The other wolf began to breathe heavily again. Sora glanced at him. "Calm down…" The wolf looked back at Sora frantically. "They'll only gain aggression when they sense your fear." The tan wolf nodded, but it did little to suppress his nerves. Sora looked around them, sizing up this battle. He could only see five of them in the circle around them, but he could sense so many more in the shadows of the surrounding forest. He gave a low, thunderous growl, bearing his razorblade fangs with a hatred that was as clear as it was deep. He launched himself at the one in front of him, totally demolishing it on contact. As he leapt at the two next to him that also jumped at him, he saw the tan wolf wrestling with one as well. He struck the first one, but the second melted into the soil and skittered around like a living shadow beneath him. Before he realized it, the shadow had charged to the other wolf and taken form, knocking the wind out of it by ramming its side. The animal yelped, Sora grunting and leaping towards him. He cut through the once that had uppercut the wolf, and head butted the one on its back off of him. He became airborne, angling the keyblade as he soared in order to drive it straight through the heartless' neck when he landed. The black wisp disintegrated at his feet, ebony shadows licking his feet as they dissipated. He turned towards the pup, seeing him shaking but upright. He smiled gratefully, dismissing the weapon and walking slowly towards him.

"Hey!" The pup looked up at Sora. "You okay?" As he finished his statement, he was side tackled hard by the fifth heartless that he'd otherwise forgotten about. He landed on his back, the thing pinning him by the throat with one hand. It raised the other skyward to slash at Sora's face, and the chocolate wolf growled lowly. In a blur of silver and black, Riku leapt over Sora and sliced the assailant through with Oblivion. Sora looked to his left as he landed, dismissing the keyblade and smiling at his friend.

"You never change, Sora. Always getting into trouble without me, and then just _expecting_ me to save your ass." Sora beamed at Riku, standing up and shaking the soil from his pelt.

"Yeah, yeah…" He smiled at him. "But who searched for almost three years to find who?" They both laughed softly.

"Thank...thank you…" Sora looked over at the pup who was now standing closer to him. He smiled weakly. Sora nodded.

"Sure! Anytime!"

"What were those things?" Sora's smile disappeared.

"They're called Heartless." Riku chimed in as he walked closer to the pair, a solemn look across his face. "They're what are left when someone's heart succumbs to darkness. And, as you found out the hard way, they can only be killed by Keyblades."

"Are those the things that you had in your mouths?" Sora smiled.

"They sure are. You don't have one, so you can't kill them. That's why you couldn't kill them when you bit them."

"Can I have a keyblade?" Sora laughed at the innocence of the question. He shook his head.

"I'm afraid not, friend. The _keyblades_ choose who they want to wield them." The pup cocked his head. "They have a heart of their own, just like those creatures."

"Well, thanks for helping me anyways." He looked at the two curiously. "Are you guys new here? I've never seen you before…" Sora's tail began to wag gently.

"As a matter of fact, we are. I'm Sora, and that silver wolf is Riku." Riku gave a slight nod to acknowledge the wolf. Sora beamed. "And you?"

"Me? Oh, my name's Toboe!" His tail began to wag excitedly. Sora smiled.

"Wonderful name Toboe! I like it!" Toboe smiled at him, and nodded.

"Thanks, Sora. I like your names too!" He turned to leave, taking about six steps before looking back over his shoulder. "Well? Aren't you coming?" Riku blinked.

"Coming where?" Toboe grinned at him and Sora.

"To the den, of course!" They looked at each other, then back at Toboe. "The least I can do after _that_ is give you guys some company and some food!" Sora's stomach gave out a loud growl as Toboe mentioned food. He looked down, and then chuckled embarrassedly. "Besides, it's not like you have anywhere else to be from the looks of it." Riku nodded.

"I guess you're right, Toboe. C'mon, Sora." He took up pace behind Toboe, Sora following suit. The three disappeared into the forest, leaving only the gurgling stream and slight wisps of black smoke behind.


	4. Welcome To The Pack

**-Welcome To The Pack –**

The trio finally arrived at a medium sized clearing some time later, entering the place with a sense of awe. It was carpeted by lush, soft grass, much unlike the dry paths that had been cut through the woodlands. The trees surrounded it in a way that seemed strategic; they provided just enough shade and just enough sun to keep it the ideal temperature. A rather large oak cast a dark, long shadow on the entrance of a rocky den, the mouth of the cave stretching roughly eight feet tall and six feet wide. A small plateau of rock gave it a sort of porch in the front, some rocky steps raising it slightly higher than the grass around it. Sora blinked at the picture-perfect air that this environment gave off to him, including the way that the yellow sunlight splashed across the rippling surface of the lake in the far corner. He sighed, and Riku's ears cupped towards him.

"What is it, Sora?" The chocolate canine looked at Riku, and smiled as he shook his head.

"Nothing. It's just so…beautiful…" He looked back at the scene before him, Toboe smiling over his shoulder in the forefront. The pup nodded.

"It has it's perks." He gave them that innocent smile and turned to face the clearing. "I'm going to go and look for Kiba. Make yourselves at home." He trotted towards the den and leapt into it, clearing the rocky steps with ease. Sora shook his head; he'd never get over how graceful they were. He beamed at Riku.

"Well, you heard him! Let's explore!" The silver wolf chuckled softly.

"You sound like a little kid at a nature preserve…" The pair trotted past the twin ferns that marked the boundary for the place and began to observe their surroundings in further detail. It wasn't long before Sora's clumsiness became present; as a matter of fact, if it weren't for Riku, he would've tripped over the tiny body in front of him.

"Hi!" They looked down into the jade green eyes of a pup, the smaller animal grinning ear to ear. Sora raised a brow and grinned back.

"Hello there…" The tiny pup's tail began to beat the air furiously. She was about two months old, a golden color with a white splotch on her chest and similar blobs on her ears. Another pup sat next to her, the same size, and pure ebony save for her front left paw, which was bleach white. Her eyes were a dark, intense shade of blue. She too gave an interested grin and stood to face them. The little golden wolf tilted her head slightly to the side.

"What's that?" She nudged Sora's necklace, the silver band glittering in the sunlight. He looked down at the item and then back to the pup with a grin.

"It's called a necklace."

"I like it! It's very pretty! It's shiny like those things Toboe has!" It was the black pup who had spoken this time, although in a less excited state than the golden one. She looked up at the couple, and then furrowed her brow. "Who are you guys anyway?"

"Well, my name's Sora, and that silver wolf is Riku. We're friends of Toboe's." She nodded, her golden sibling snatching up a twig in her mouth and bringing it over to them. They had been gnawing on it upon Sora and Riku's approach. She grinned.

"You guys wanna play?" Sora smiled down at her.

"We would love to play with…" Out of the corner of his eye, another wolf approached him and stood between him and the pups. He was a large male, portly and displaying a pelt a shade darker than Toboe's with the exception of his slightly lighter face. His golden eyes stared back into Sora's with a look of both authority and uncertainty.

"Can I help you?" Sora smiled at him.

"Not really. These kids just wanted to play." The male sized up the pair, and Sora felt the air of caution surrounding him at present. "I can assure you sir, our intentions aren't bad ones; we're friends of Toboe's." The wolf gave a relaxed sigh and rolled his eyes.

"That damn pup's always getting into some kind of trouble." He smiled at Sora. "Well, that's good to hear. Playing the mean, protective father isn't really my strong suit." Sora smiled. "I'm Hige."

"I'm Sora, and this is Riku. These pups are yours?" Hige relaxed on his haunches. They had begun to play with the stick once more, having wandered a few feet off at Hige's intervention. He smiled.

"Yeah, the brats belong to me. The golden one's Kiku, the black one's Tsuki."

"They're beautiful names." Riku chimed in, Sora almost forgetting he'd been there. Hige smiled and sighed.

"Well don't credit me for them. My mate made 'em up. She's the smart one." They all laughed softly. "Yeah, they're a handful, but they're worth it." He looked at the two. "You got any pups of your own?" Sora looked at Riku, and both laughed nervously.

"No, no. We…uh…can't have any." Sora said apprehensively. Hige cocked a brow.

"Sure you can. It's real simple. You just gotta get to know a girl, and once you're sure you should be with her, you just wait for the right night and…"

"No, Hige." Riku laughed. "We're together." Hige looked from one to the other, still a little confused.

"I can see that. You're standing right next to each other." Sora shook his head and laughed.

"Hige, Riku's my mate." Hige laughed.

"Oh! I get it!" He smiled. "So you're like Tsume and Kiba, then?" At the mention of the second name, Riku's ears perked up.

"Isn't that the name of the wolf Toboe was going to get?" Sora looked at him.

"I think so…" As Riku opened his mouth to ask about Toboe's whereabouts, he appeared next to them. He smiled at the three of them.

"I see you guys have met Hige, then?" Sora nodded. Hige stood suddenly and folded his ears back. He looked Toboe up and down.

"You're hurt…" Toboe looked over at the darker wolf and smiled.

"It's okay Hige. These two saved me. And it's nothing major, just some scratches and a few bruises."

"Tsume's gonna be pissed. He told you not to go off on your own after what happened to Kiba!"

"Indeed I am." Toboe folded his ears to his skull as a large grey wolf appeared behind him. Toboe tucked his tail between his hind legs. The grey wolf walked to Toboe's side and gave the pup an intense look. Toboe looked away. "So you didn't listen after all?"

"No…" The grey wolf snorted.

"And I thought fatty was lying to get you into trouble…" Hige glared at Tsume, but let it slide. Toboe looked back at Tsume with a look of reconciliation.

"I was trying to find some lunar flowers. You know, to make Kiba feel better." Tsume let the expression melt from his visage and morph into one of mild amusement. That pup would never learn…

"When are you ever going to stop thinking about ways to make others happy?" Toboe smiled and let his tail wag gently behind him. The male licked the pup between the eyes with affection, and then gestured towards Sora and Riku. "We'll talk later. Right now, I want to know what these two are doing here."

"I'm Riku, and this is Sora. We saved Toboe from some heartless." Tsume looked skeptical, but Riku gave him a look of assurance. Toboe nodded.

"It's true, Tsume. They saved me from those things that came after Kiba a few nights back." He gasped slightly.

"You…you _killed_ those things? But how?" Sora called the Kingdom Key into his mouth once more. The sudden appearance of the tool caused the other wolves to jump.

"With those keyblade things. The cut right through them!" Sora dismissed the weapon in a small cloud of sparkling dust. "They say they're the only things that can kill them." Tsume attained his normal look of passiveness and shrugged.

"Alright I guess. If your friends of Toboe's, you can stay. I'll learn to trust your word when you prove it." He walked off, Toboe following him as they disappeared into the mouth of the cave. Hige shook his head.

"What's _his_ problem?" Hige looked at Riku and laughed.

"That's just Tsume. It takes him a while to trust anybody. Don't take it too personal." Sora rolled his eyes. This was an ego conflict waiting to happen…

"Don't worry about it, Riku. We'll gain his friendship eventually. We already have Hige's, so that's good!" Hige nodded and smiled. Tsuki suddenly appeared, pouncing on her father's tail with a giggle. He smiled at his offspring and nudged her with his nose. She giggled and placed an awkwardly large paw on it.

"Mamma wants you, Dad." They all looked up to see another wolf standing some ways off. She was sleek and petite, obviously female, and the same sheer obsidian as Tsuki. A silver, spiked collar wrapped around her neck, ice blue eyes seeming to smile at Hige. Kiku sat between her front paws, golden pelt glittering in the light. He grinned.

"Alright, alright. I'm coming!" He looked at the boys with a grin. "The mate's calling. You know how it is…" He left them standing in the spot they started out in, his pup tripping along at his heels. Sora smiled at them. They were quite the family. Riku nudged him with a smile.

"We'd better go find this Kiba person." Sora nodded.

"Yeah. He's probably in there." He gestured towards the opening of the den. The pair walked to the mouth of the cave and glanced into it's sheer black depths. Toboe seemed to materialize out of the darkness almost immediately following. He beamed.

"Hey guys! Kiba wants to see you! C'mon!" They looked at each other, and then ascended the stony steps into the den. As they followed Toboe's sketchy figure into the darkness, Sora began to smell dried blood. He looked at Riku, who gave him a reassuring look, and walked a little closer to his mate. He'd seen what the heartless could do to people with weapons and armor, let alone wolves that were defenseless save for their teeth. A soft illumination made itself present in front of Toboe, and Sora's ears perked in interest. They came to a halt just before stepping into the light. Sora's eyes widened.

A small crack in the roof of the space gave way to a pool of sunlight, illuminating Tsume's reclined figure in the corner. He sat next to a wolf as big as himself, its alabaster pelt stained with brown and crimson streaks. Sora had never felt such a strong vibe of the darkness. It seemed to emanate around the white wolf. The weak animal raised its head to view its visitors, a tired smile spreading across his muzzle. He let his cranium rest against the floor of the cave again.

"Hello Sora."

((Just as a side note to those of you who are wondering, _Kiku_ is chrysanthemum & _Tsuki_ is moon in Japanease ))


	5. The Wolf With A Key

**-The Wolf With The Key-**

Sora took a small step back as his name slipped through the Kiba's thick black lips. He gave one hard swallow, and then cleared his throat.

"How do you know my name?" His tone gradually gained normalcy through the course of the sentence. Riku looked from Sora to the white wolf and relaxed on his haunches. His muscles were tensed and ready to spring in case this other wolf posed any threat to his lover. Tsume noted this, and flashed him a brief glimpse of fangs. The chocolate wolf padded over to where Tsume was standing, the grey wolf ceasing his silent warning to Riku and moving to accommodate him. Sora looked down at the battered canine below him. He was absolutely massive. Despite the current mangled state of his body, he was still one of the most beautiful animals he'd ever seen. Cords of rolling muscle sat dormant and firm under a dazzling white pelt, or at least the parts of it that weren't stained with blood. The wolf opened one eye and looked at Sora. He stared back into the golden orb silently, unsure of what to say. He smiled at the keyblade bearer.

"I have seen you, Sora. You're in my dreams. I was unsure if it was, in fact, you that Toboe had discovered until he mentioned that key of yours." Sora blinked, and Kiba shut his eyes once more. "The wolf with the key will bring the dawn. That's what she told me."

"Who?" Sora became serious, no longer leery of the alabaster wolf. He sat where he stood. "Who told you this?"

"Cheza. Cheza told me." Sora laid one ear back against his skull.

"But I've never met anyone named Cheza.."

"She said I would know you when I found you, but it seems that Toboe has taken care of that."

"But who _is_ Cheza?" Sora was becoming slightly annoyed. This Kiba was talking in riddles!

"She is the flower maiden. She is…_life_…" He gritted his teeth with agitation. Just as he opened his mouth to tell the Kiba exactly what he thought of his puzzling answers, Riku appeared beside him and interjected.

"You'll have to forgive our ignorance. We're not from around here." He shot a warning glance at Sora, who simply snorted and looked away. "Can you elaborate any further?" Kiba opened his golden eyes to observe the wolf who was now addressing him in Sora's place. He grinned weakly.

"You must be Riku." The silver wolf blinked. "Cheza told me of you as well. She said that the key also came to one whose heart had once been cloaked in darkness. You have the weathered patience of someone used to dealing with these dark matters." Riku looked away, ashamed that some perfect stranger could sense his past. Kiba grunted as he rolled from his side onto his stomach, pushing himself up into a sitting position with some painful sounding noises. The boys looked at the regal wolf as he sat there, beaten beyond all belief and somehow still elegant. Sora stood up and took a stance beside Riku. Kiba looked at both of them and smiled. "You are welcome to stay within the boundaries of our territory as long as you'd like. But I am requesting that you aid us in our time of need after I am in better shape." The pair looked at each other, then back at Kiba with matching grins. The alabaster wolf smiled at the familiar spark of determination in both of their eyes.

"You just rest up for now, Kiba. We'll keep the pack safe from the heartless." Sora smiled that dazzling smile that had won the trust of so many before, and was doing so again. Riku nodded in agreement.

"Indeed." Kiba nodded respectfully, but then collapsed on the rocky floor of the den. Sora gasped, Riku taking a step back. Tsume pushed through the two roughly and leaned close to Kiba's muzzle.

"Kiba?" The white wolf growled softly at his grey companion.

"Oh Tsume! You're going to worry yourself into a coma!" He slowly settled into a more relaxed position, once again lying on his stomach with his head erect. Tsume looked back at the two.

"He needs to rest now, boys." His tone was softer than it had been yet. Sora nodded, and made for the exit followed by the silent and pensive Riku. He took one last look back at Kiba before melting into the shadows. The last thing he saw was Tsume lay down beside the white wolf, and the great alpha's head resting on his forelegs.

"He's something else…" Sora looked over at Riku. They'd been sitting over by the lakeshore for a time, just relaxing in the sunlight. He smiled quizzically.

"Oh yeah?" Riku sighed and laid his head across Sora's forelegs. The chocolate wolf licked him between the ears.

"He's been through something terrible. I can…feel it." He watched Kiku and Tsuki wrestle violently some ways off, Hige and Blue relaxing under a tree a few yards behind them. "He gives off this certain vibe…it's hard to explain…he just feels like he knows exactly what it means to be filled with nothing but darkness."

"I completely understand. His vibe isn't much different that yours, love." The silver wolf tried not to cringe as he said the inevitable.

"It's so hard, hearing people say that. It makes me feel like He's won." He meant Xemnas, of course; Sora knew that. He'd watched Riku go day by day back at the islands, second guessing his every move, scared to death of seeing Xemnas' reflection staring back from his own; it had been painful for _both_ of them. It still ailed him, but not as intense as it had started. When Sora finally confessed his feelings, it seemed as if he'd taken care of most of it. But, as he'd learned the hard way, there was no total miracle cure for the darkness. "Sometimes I feel as if you shouldn't be with me, Sora. Here you are, the renowned keyblade bearer, scampering around with someone whose heart had been possessed by your very mortal enemy. And, on top of that, someone who had tried to kill you once. It just doesn't make sense for you to love me."

"But that's where you're wrong." Sora looked absently at the sky, watching the tiny wisps of clouds streak across their robin's egg backdrop. "I love you with all of my heart Riku; so very much that I endured those years, all that pain, and even you trying to kill me just to be with you again. It doesn't matter to me what's happened in your past; you'll always be my best friend, and the love of my life. We'll work through the darkness together, just like we did when you won yourself back from Him." Riku looked up into Sora's eyes and smiled. They were pools of unconditional acceptance, hidden behind a beautiful shield of metallic ocean blue. The only place he was truly accepted without a second thought. He nuzzled the mocha canine affectionately then returned to his spot on his appendages.

"I love you Sora. So much it hurts sometimes…" Sora laid his head on top of Riku's and sighed happily. He nodded in agreement. They lay together for a long time in silence, worn out from their arduous night before and having to fight earlier in such a weak state. The sun's warmth melted like butter into their pelts and lulled them to sleep.

About twenty minutes later, Toboe nudged Sora softly to wake him. He opened one large blue eye, observed the pup, and grumbled incoherently as he sat up. "Can I help you?" Toboe smiled softly. Sora's movement had also roused Riku, although he looked a lot grumpier.

"It's almost sunset, you two. Tsume says that Kiba's still going to need a day or two, but he should feel better in no time. They finally got all of his cuts to stop bleeding." Sora smiled.

"That's good news."

"Yeah it is. Kiba was attacked by those things about four days ago. They did quite the number on him. Tsume had to drag him back here by himself. They kind of just disappeared at the sight of him." _'Now why would they attack Kiba but not Tsume?'_ "We're lucky he went out looking for Kiba when he did, or he'd have been dead."

"Why was he out looking for him, anyway? He doesn't exactly look like someone who'd risk his life for just _anyone_." They both looked at Riku, who was once again making ever so optimistic commentary. Toboe smiled.

"Oh that's easy! Kiba's his mate!" The boys smiled at each other.

"Well, at least we're understood on one thing." Sora laughed softly, Riku chuckling as well. Toboe cocked his head slightly to the side, not really understanding, but he let it go as quickly as it had come. He shrugged.

"He's honestly one of the most overprotective wolves I know. He's always worrying about others, whether he shows it or not on the outside." He looked back at the den as he said this with a slight smile. The then looked back at them and wagged his tail softly. "Anyway, they wanted to know if you guys could keep watch tonight while we slept inside. The pack's already in there. We've been taking turns watching over the clearing in shifts, but it's not really any good since we can't kill those things easily. We've found that we can if two of us attack at once, but they mostly just come to the edges of the forest and chatter at us. It's as if they're afraid of the moonlight…" Riku, who had stood up and stretched, looked over at Sora.

"That's peculiar. They never really do that unless it's sunlight." Sora nodded, also rising off of the ground. He looked back at Toboe and smiled. "Sure. We'll keep watch tonight. After all, we're the ones who were napping today." The pup smiled.

"Thanks you guys. It really means a lot." They all padded over to the den, the boys plopping down on either side of the entrance and beginning their vigil. Toboe thanked them again before going to bed, but that was the last they heard of the pack. After an hour or so in silent, intense watch, they realized how long of a night it was going to be.


	6. Sentry

**-Sentry-**

A few hours into their watch, the boys were almost ready to just go to bed. Nothing had moved; even the few dead leaves that were on the ground beside the tree front opposite of them had remained still. Sora sighed dramatically, Riku glancing at him from the corner of his eye.

"Will _something _just _happen_ already?!" Riku chuckled as his mocha partner whined with his usual childlike demeanor. He looked over at Riku upon his laughter.

"Just because Kiba asked us to watch doesn't mean that something is automatically going to happen, Sora. Settle down a little." Sora pouted; even as a wolf, Riku could see that all too familiar, pricelessly cute face. He laughed softly, which only aggravated Sora more.

"But I'm so _bored_! And you making fun of me just makes it worse!" Riku stopped laughing, but the smile didn't fade away. He looked at his mate silently, which, after a few minutes, made Sora very uncomfortable. He cleared his throat, thankful that he wasn't human for Riku to see his colored cheeks. "What? What is it? I got something on me?"

"No, no…just looking at you. You look so beautiful as a wolf." Sora blinked. "You're all like 'Oh I'm like five different colors!', and I'm just like 'I'm silver…that's it!'…" Sora laughed softly.

"I think you look amazing, especially the insignia on your shoulder!" Riku looked at his shoulder and noticed the little blue heart for the first time. He grinned.

"Never noticed that…but it is pretty cool, I have to admit." Sora flashed that beaming smile that he still had in wolf form.

"See? You're cool too!" Riku smiled.

"Guess so…" Sora was kind of thankful for the conversation. After all, there were no heartless around, so…

A blur of black caught the attention of the keyblade bearer, who immiediatley ceased talking and stood up. The kingdom key appeared in his mouth almost a second later. Riku, too, stood up and summoned Soul Eater. They two stared out into the darkness of the clearing, seeing a multitude of little yellow eyes blinking back at them from the foliage. Sora growled demonically, but Riku shushed him. He looked at the silver wolf, who seemed perplexed. He let his eyes fall back upon the heartless, but his attention was to Riku.

"What's wrong?" Riku's hackles were raised rigidly along his spine, ears laid almost completely flat against his head.

"They're…different. Can't you feel it?" Sora looked back at the heartless, and suddenly felt exactly what Riku was talking about. They did feel different. But were they? There was that weighty, shady feeling that the Shadows brought with them was accompanied by something much more sinister. He surveyed the luminescent blonde specks with confusion and hate.

"Yeah…but it's probably nothing to worry about. You know that once heartless have invaded an area, they'll evolve to better suit themselves."

"No, Sora. It's not the same." He stepped closer to Sora, an action that triggered a wave of chitters from the creatures observing them. "This is a stronger feeling of malice than I've ever had with these things. If there's another breed with them, he's way more powerful than any shadow could be." Sora didn't verbally or physically agree with him, but he too could tell that this feeling was more serious than he'd had before.

"They aren't attacking, though…" Indeed, the creatures had kept to the woodlands around them, as if refusing to bathe in the moonlight. Sora cocked a brow. "Moonlight can't hurt them, so why do they stay so still?" One brave heartless set a foot out into the alabaster light, but recoiled with a tiny and painful screech. It hopped back behind a few of the other braver ones that stood at the front of the assault. Sora looked at Riku, who simply shook his head in uncertainty.

"I don't know. It's like it…_hurts_ them…"

"What was that screaming noise?" Both wolves jumped nearly a foot off the ground as Toboe appeared between them. Riku had whirled, ready to slice into him, but Sora had only been spooked. Toboe looked innocently at Soul Eater, and the silver wolf shook his head.

"Damnit Toboe!" He faced the heartless once more, half expecting them to have advanced. But they remained in the same shady spots. Sora looked at Toboe, who was still overshadowed in the mouth of the den.

"Yeah, but you probably want to go back to bed right now." It was more of a command than a suggestion, but the tan pup obviously hadn't picked up on it. He stepped out into the moonlight. As soon as his tan pelt was illuminated in the silver light, there was a uproarious sound from the woodlands. Sora perked his ears and looked around frantically, the sound catching him off guard. They began to pour out of the woods, tearing towards them with reckless abandon. Toboe gasped, but Riku just grinned maliciously.

"I knew they wanted _something_…" He watched the sea of heartless begin a sprint towards them, bloodlust and adrenaline already flowing into him. "Toboe get back in the den!" Sora leapt into the upheaval first with a thunderclap of a growl, Toboe turning tail and sprinting to the rear of the den. He began cutting through them like a hot knife through butter, Riku shredding them in a similar fashion some ways away. But they didn't seem to be after _them_. They were more concerned with the den! Sora wildly flung his tool around, hacking with absolutely no strategy but to keep them away from the den. He backed onto the lip, Riku mirroring him, and they began chopping like crazy. It was an absolute massacre. When the frontline had diminished, they were ready for the second hit. Sora cast Blizzaga at those advancing on his side, watching as shards of ice pierced through his advancing foes. He quickly repeated the action, aiming it for the heartless that were currently swarming Riku. A rather reckless assailant tackled the chocolate wolf, knocking him down. He grunted as he hit the rocky outcropping, casting Firaga an instant later to incinerate the small group that had used his fall to leap over him. He snarled as he got back up, taking in the carnage in a few seconds that seemed to freeze time.

There was a ton of heartless, seemingly unstoppable and innumerable. The majority of them were making a mad dash for the den, but there was a group that was clawing at Riku. But the most interesting thing was that they were _burning_. Slight wisps of black smoke rose from their bodies as the moonlight seemed to dissolve them, making a sickly hissing noise. He blinked. _What the hell?! _They were being burnt by the moonlight…

A loud yelp from Riku snapped Sora back into the present, the wolf whirling to see that his silver companion was under a brutal gang attack. He snarled and sliced at them, but not fast enough as they piled onto him and began to dig at him. Sora snarled angrily and leapt into the fray, hacking them crazily and simultaneously casting Thundaga. The creatures screamed as a circle of lightening toasted them, hissing as they dissolved into the air. Since the attack was cast by Sora in the midst of his panic, his emotions seemed to expand the reach of the spell to fry those a bit farther off. He stood over Riku protectively, watching the whirlwind of lightening burn the majority of the remaining heartless. With the fading of the blinding illumination, the heartless were totally gone, leaving the forty or so they had killed to create a slight purple-black haze in the air. Sora's chest rose and fell heavily, frantically scanning the area to make sure that there were no more. When he was satisfied with his conclusion of their absence, he gave a heavy sigh of relief. _Thank God…_

"Sora…" He looked under him to see Riku's head between his frontal legs. The silver wolf smiled exhaustedly. "You can move now." He stepped aside, allowing him to stand. He shook his pelt, loosing a little fur and a few droplets of blood. Sora looked at him sympathetically.

"You're cut…" Riku smiled at him reassuringly.

"It's just a few scratches, Sora. Nothing to worry about." Sora licked one he'd received on his cheek, Riku smiling and licking the end of his nurse's nose. He grinned. "You alright? I've never seen you so brutal before."

"Ah, well, get used to it buddy. I got this way when _you _left." Riku smiled, and Sora returned his gaze to the clearing. "But I don't understand. The moonlight…it was _burning _them!"

"I noticed that too after they surrounded me. And what's more, they seemed more interested then the den than us. And they _hate _you!" Sora laughed.

"Oh shut up…at least I wasn't commanding them at one point!" Riku guffawed, but soon chuckled as well. "But seriously…why did it hurt them? It's never been that way before." Sora nodded.

"And whatever that thing was…I can still feel it."

"Yeah…" Riku looked at Sora, who looked as exhausted as he himself felt. "You need to sleep, Sora." The chocolate wolf looked at him, then smiled warmly.

"But you look like you need it more." Riku shook his head.

"This isn't a two-way conversation. You're going to bed."

"But what about you? Aren't you tired?" Riku shrugged.

"Yes, but I'm willing to sacrifice a couple hours for your well being." Sora smiled lovingly.

"But Riku…" They were interrupted by Hige's appearance at the mouth of the den. It didn't scare them nearly as much as Toboe's had.

"Is everything alright?! Me and Toboe heard those awful noises, and then someone yelped." Sora nodded.

"It is now. There were just a lot of heartless. But everything should be okay now."

"You two look like shit." Sora went flat faced.

"Gee, thanks!" Riku laughed, and Hige smiled.

"I'm only telling you the truth…besides, I'm relieving you." Sora smiled.

"Sure you can handle it?" Hige grinned goofily.

"If there's any of those black shadowy things, I'll just come running into the den screaming like a coward, and it's sure to wake you up, so yeah!" They all laughed softly. Riku smiled.

"Thanks Hige. It means a lot."

"No problemo. Just go get some rest." They two nodded gratefully and started for the den. Before venturing all the way inside, Sora turned to survey the forest once more. Suddenly, another set of eyes became present; three actually, in the shape of a pyramid. He shook his head and blinked, sighing happily when he looked again and they were gone. He continued into the den, Hige taking up post where he had been. The two sentries curled up together and fell asleep almost instantly, totally exhausted from their tussle.

Hige yawned placidly from his post, laying down but still watching the land. A particularly annoying itch suddenly bit into the outside of his back thigh, and he quickly turned to bite at it; a seemingly perfect distraction for the three-eyed, overshadowed mass to slink away before this new guard saw it, too.


	7. Recollections

I...I...I liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive!! 8D Sorry for the temporary idontupdatebecausedeviantartownsmysoul sickness...you know how it is w But I promise to update more often..this story is slowly consuming my entire creative genius, little by little...

And now, to comment responses!! 8D

**Renkin-chan**: I hope you like the upcoming chapters. More pretty lines, I promise xD

**Shiny**: My ever so wonderful, ever so amazing beta! What would I do without mah Shiny?! Probably...cry xD

**Kovukono**: Thanks for the support, Kovu! You're an amazing friend, and I promise I'll get around to TLK 5's sequel soon '

Weeeeell...**enjoooooooooi** :D

* * *

**-Recollections-**

Sora woke up later on in the afternoon, everyone having already roused before him. He wasn't too worried about it; after all, he'd been a little sore from the battle the previous night. He yawned as he got up, sitting on his haunches with a sigh. He honestly didn't feel like doing anything today and, somewhere in the back of his mind, he doubted his day would be relaxing. They hadn't been so far. The only one who'd gotten any sort of rest lately was Kiba. The keyblade bearer smiled at the thought of the white wolf. Maybe he should go visit the alpha, just to see how he was doing. After all, they said that he'd made a lot of progress. From the soft noises that echoed into the den, it sounded like everyone was just lying around and enjoying the afternoon without the heartless anyway. He knew that Riku was already up (he'd always been an early riser anyway) and about, so he wasn't too worried about the pack's safety. They'd be fine without him. He stood up and, giving his pelt a quick shake, started towards the back of the den.

He arrived in the illuminated space, surprisingly, by himself. The spot of floor the white wolf had taken up residence on was now vacant, void of anything but a few stray grey and white hairs. He cocked a brow. _'Maybe Kiba is better now?'_

"Morning, sunshine." He didn't even turn around as a smile wormed its way into his features. He'd know that sarcastic, cocky demeanor anywhere.

"Morning, Riku." The silver wolf smiled toothily, trotting to his mate and licking his shoulder blade. Sora turned and gave him a quick nuzzle. "Where's Kiba?" Riku's smile only broadened.

"He's outside with the rest of us, happy as a lark. We've basically just been lying around all day. He seems extremely happy to finally be outside again." He laughed softly. "The only problem is that Toboe, who wants to play with Tsume, can't get the stubborn bastard away from Kiba's side."

"Well," Sora began towards the exit, Riku quietly following suit, "when someone you love is recovering from being hurt, you want nothing more than to be by their side." Riku looked at the ground momentarily, catching the hidden meaning in his words. _'Look at me…I'm still getting over the darkness, and he's been here all along.'_ He nodded slightly, Sora smiling and nudging him reassuringly. "All I'm saying is that Tsume's still a little wary." They padded to the small porch of the den, looking out at the others. Toboe, haven given up on Tsume, was bouncing around the shallows of the lake with the pups, laughing as loud as the smaller ones with him. Blue and Hige were snuggled up under the shade of a nearby tree, making light conversation while keeping their peripherals locked on their pups. Sora blinked, looking around for the alpha male and his mate. Riku cleared his throat softly. He looked at the silver wolf, who gestured upwards with his muzzle. The chocolate canine was perplexed, but as they exited the den and he saw them resting peacefully atop the structure, he just smiled. Kiba had already looked stunningly beautiful in the dim, dingy light of the den; now, as the afternoon sunlight tipped his fur with a golden shimmer that matched his eyes, he looked more beautiful and regal than ever. He smiled down at the chocolate wolf, perfectly content with Tsume's head on his front paws. The grey wolf lifted his head, giving the pair a respectful nod, and then returned his head to Kiba's forelegs. Sora beamed.

"Kiba! It's nice to see you up and moving! I take it you're well rested?" The alpha gave a graceful bow of his head. Was _everything_ he did so smooth?

"Yes. I feel much better now that I've been resting. It is good to see you two have adjusted. The pack has treated you well?"

"They've become like they were part of our pack already." Tsume spoke softly, never moving his head. Kiba, looking down at his mate, smiled contentedly and licked the tip of Tsume's ear.

"That's good to hear." His attention returned to Sora. "Have you enjoyed your stay, as well?"

"Very much, Kiba. You're all proving to be such great friends already!" Riku rolled his eyes at Sora. He sounded like a fourth grader with all his enthusiasm for new companions. Kiba slightly tipped his head sideways, looking at Riku.

"Riku? You don't agree?" Riku looked at the alpha upon his query. He blinked, shaking himself out of his thoughts, and smiled.

"Oh, not at all. I agree, one hundred percent! You're all such wonderful friends!" He laughed. "I was only amused at the fact that Sora sounds juvenile." The mocha canine next to him gave him and icy glare, and snorted.

"So being friendly is childish?"

"At the rate you do it, it might be. You act like everyone you meet is going to be your friend. Bunnies and rainbows and the like. It kind of gets ridiculous sometimes." Sora frowned.

"That's bullshit, and you know it. I'm pretty sure I know when someone's got bad intentions, Riku. I'd have been dead by now if that wasn't the case." Riku shook his head.

"Look, all I'm saying is that it's a little cheesy how you trust so easily."

"Well excuse me for being social, and actually _wanting_ to let anyone into my heart." A moment of painful silence passed.

"Sora…"

"No. Just…just forget it." He walked off, glaring at the ground, and made his way to the edge of the lake. Riku looked after him with an expression caught between anger for what he'd said and a pang of guilt at Sora's pain, but simply shook his head and returned to the den. Kiba appraised the situation with silent, but wise, eyes. There was something that seemed unsettled between the two…

"Do you remember when we used to be like that, Tsume?" The grey wolf opened one eye and looked up at the alpha, then gave a wolfish grin.

"I thought you were such and arrogant, egotistical bastard." Kiba looked down with a cocky grin.

"And I thought you were a heartless ice prince who would never learn to trust."

"Hmm…touché." Tsume laughed softly. "And the way you were always with Cheza…it always made me so jealous."

"But you now know why, love." He sighed, moving his arms under Tsume's head to subtly give him a hint to move. The grey wolf looked up into Kiba's expression with both eyes.

"And what if I don't want to move?" Kiba grinned.

"Then I'll make you." Tsume leaned up towards the white wolf, pressing his cold nose against the others.

"And you're so tough?" Suddenly, he wasn't looking into that mysterious golden gaze anymore, but into the navy blue eyes of a rather androgynous, yet stunningly attractive man. It was kind of hard to see the glitter of mischief in his eyes behind the feathered locks of dark chocolate hair that fell in front of them. Tsume grinned, the darker tanned skin on his face bringing out the thunderous grey hue of his eyes. Kiba leaned towards the man, pressing his lips onto his with a smirk. Tsume took in a sharp breath, but soon was fighting the urge to melt like butter as Kiba's tongue performed a passionate dance with his own. Adrenaline caused a slight burning sensation as it spread outward from his chest, and stronger, more animalistic emotion stirring somewhere deeper inside of him. Their teeth clicked softly against each other as he tasted his mate. It was a joy kept from him after Kiba's injury, and as he tasted the alpha again, it was almost enough to drive him crazy. But just as quickly as the kiss had started, it ended, and Kiba lashed Tsume's bottom lip with the tip of his tongue before pulling away. Tsume took in a deep breath, shivering as he exhaled. He opened his eyes, which had closed shortly after the kiss had ensued, and looked back into the alpha's bewitchingly blue ones. He snorted with a smile that he'd unsuccessfully tried to hide. "You stupid mutt…" Kiba laughed, and nuzzled the grey wolf's neck.

"It got you off, didn't it?" Tsume looked back at him, now the same grey wolf that he was so used to seeing. He grinned, canines glittering like Kiba's now golden eyes.

"Well, if you would've done it a little longer, I might've had to…" He stood up and shook his pelt free of the collected dirt, never letting Tsume finish his perverted statement before leaping off of the den's roof. He looked around for Sora, finding him under a tree nearby Blue and Hige. He smiled mildly. Had the silver wolf really upset him that much?

"Hey." Sora's head was resting on his crossed front paws, the brown canine lifting his navy gaze to meet Kiba's. He sighed and returned his chin to its former place.

"Oh. Hey." Kiba smiled.

"Come with me, Sora." He looked up at him with a look of slight puzzlement.

"To…?"

"Just follow me."

"Uh…" Sora stood up and smiled softly. "Alright. Let's go." Kiba gave a nod and started towards the woods with the keyblade bearer at his heels. They walked for a good five minutes in silence, the alpha leading him up a steep incline and away from the clearing. As they climbed higher and higher, the clearing of Sora's throat broke the calm. Kiba smiled back at him.

"Don't worry…it's not far from here." No sooner had he said that, they were there. Sora cocked a brow at the melancholic peace of the place; nothing but a cliff with a few deteriorated walls providing sentry. He assumed they used to make up a house from the way they formed a sort of square. Well, the wall that was _left_ anyway. Kiba walked to the one in the best shape, still a bit too shabby looking for Sora to trust with his own weight, and motioned for Sora to follow. He gave a graceful hop, perched himself on a smoothed spot, and laid down all in one liquid, beautiful motion. Sora chose to take up a spot in the dirt next to it, on the outside of the 'house'. He plopped on his haunches and, for the first time, noticed that they had a perfect view of the clearing. He smiled down at the pack, ants in the warm sunlight.

"Cool!" He said softly, eliciting a smile from the alpha. He could see for miles and miles around them, and even make out the faint outline of the city farther to the north.

"I come here to be alone sometimes." He looked back at the white wolf, Kiba seemingly talking to the view instead of him. "It's the only place that's quiet enough for me to totally relax. And it's secret."

"You mean…"

"No, no; he doesn't know about it." Sora laughed softly as he read his mind. "No one does."

"Oh, okay. So why bring me here?" He looked at him now instead of the clearing below.

"You have problems with your mate?" Sora's complexion fogged over with a mix of shame and resentment. He quickly looked away, the dirt below him suddenly becoming very interesting.

"Well, no. Not really. I mean, we argue like everyone else, but that's normal." Kiba smiled gently.

"Sora..." He looked up at the white canine slowly, still glazed with that painful look. "There's more to it than that. I can feel it." He looked down at the soil again.

"Yeah, but it's nothing to really worry about. We just…" He trailed off, not really wanting to talk about it. Kiba gave a knowing smile, and sighed calmly.

"I take it you don't really want to talk about it, huh?" Sora didn't even move. "Well, then, I guess I can talk when you're ready. But let me at least tell you that me and Tsume weren't always as easygoing, either." The keyblade bearer was genuinely surprised.

"You mean you fought with Tsume? But you guys are totally in love…" Kiba laughed softly.

"The story I'm about to tell you, Sora, is for your ears only," He looked down at Sora seriously, "because I'm the only one who truly remembers." The mocha canine nodded gravely and let his stomach rest against the soil. He had a feeling Kiba wasn't going to take five minutes with this. "We wolves were together once, a long time ago…" Sora laughed, and the alpha looked down at him blankly.

"Well duh; you're together _now_." Kiba grinned.

"No, no; I mean that we were together in a past life." Sora blinked. "A long time ago, our world wasn't like this. Well, it had been, but by the time I started my journey, it was long depreciated. Humans lived in gigantic domed provinces, under the cruel and tyrannical control of Nobles, and the majority of the planet's vegetation was destroyed. It was like mother earth herself had become emaciated and too fatigued to care for her own existence anymore. She'd given up. We wolves had been extinct for 200 years, or so it was _said_.

We had been almost entirely wiped out by the human race, as were many of the animals that once roamed the world. But, in truth, there were many of us left, if only by a god-given miracle. You see, we remaining few had somehow attained the ability to give ourselves a human guise, and walk among the creatures like we were their own. Sure, dogs and other animals knew better, but it sure fooled those technology-dependant remnants of human beings. Many of them had probably grown so sick of their lives that they might not have cared anyway. But we still cloaked ourselves, just to be sure. Well, everyone except _me_ of course."

"Why not?" Sora regretted the question the moment it slipped past his lips. Not necessarily because he had a _question_, but more so for interrupting this fantastic yarn being wove before him. Kiba grinned reminiscently.

"Because I wasn't from the city at all. In fact, I was a wanderer. A fire swept over my home when I was very young, and I had lived away from civilization all my life, unlike the others that I eventually met. They all called the city their home. When I arrived, I had no idea or concept of human laws, tendencies, or even the fact that I should disguise myself. So, I set off into the city in my normal form, following the scent of what are known as Lunar Flowers.

I met Tsume first, actually. A few of the humans in the group that he'd been running around with woke me from a rather peaceful recovery sleep, and I defended myself by killing a few of them. I ended up chasing Tsume to an abandoned rooftop and fighting him when he told me I was wrong for killing. I believed it was, as it is, a natural and beautiful thing, but he knew better than to just kill off a few humans here and there. I was captured soon after by being shot by a scraggly, stubble-cloaked man named Quent and his dog, Blue." Sora opened his mouth to say something, and Kiba nodded before he could. "Yes, _that_ Blue. Anyway, I got imprisoned afterward, and I met Hige. We escaped the building together, but we both could still smell that flower. Ultimately, the scent turned out to be Cheza, a human made from lunar flowers, but we were too late. As we left the complex, we ran into Darcia, a Noble, who was abducting her. As soon as I saw her, Sora, I knew it was meant to be; I felt something stir deep inside of me, and I had to be with her at any cost. It felt like I needed her to complete myself, and that feeling only got painfully stronger when they left. Hige told me not to worry about it in all his casualness, and we took to the sewers in an attempt to escape the city. I just _had_ to find her. We met Toboe while doing this, who had apparently already met Tsume, and altogether we decided to leave. It was funny, actually; Tsume told all of us that he didn't want to leave, but I knew better than that. Upon our escape, he joined us, and we set off on a long and fantastic journey, though none of us were sure where to. I was following the flower, and they were all following me. We met back up with Cheza sometime later, and the wolves finally understood what I was feeling. We all felt it, this cosmic connection to the flower maiden. Suddenly our goal became clear; we needed to find paradise together, with Cheza."

"Paradise?" Sora was clearly interested. Kiba smiled at the other wolf, the sun beginning to set. Sora noticed this too, and wished he hadn't got up so late. A certain glisten of happiness glazed over Kiba's expression.

"Yes, paradise. According to the _Book of the Moon_, the world would come to an end when we wolves found paradise. It was a place that only we could gain access to. My mother told me of it all the time when I was younger. She always told me tales of it to lull me to sleep. It was a beautiful place, full of lunar flowers and the songs of other wolves. A true heaven." He sighed. "The thought of paradise, the legend and the idea, had consumed me my entire life. It was my reason for living, my reason for believing; paradise was my soul. That fire I mentioned earlier? It killed my entire pack." Sora winced. "I was left alone, stumbling over the fallen members of our family, my home nothing but smoking piles of indistinguishable grey ash. I never found my mother's body."

"That's…that's horrible…" His voice cracked slightly.

"But it happened for a bigger purpose. A shaman found me by 'listening to the Great Spirit, and hearing of a white wolf pup whose destiny was of great importance', or so he says. But, either way, he found me, and took me in. After that day and through all my years spent with him, I clung tightly to my mother's words, with a need not unlike that given to a teat from a newborn pup. It became my passion, my goal, and my personal drive to find this paradise. As I grew older, I grew more restless. One night, the shaman told me to go and seek out my destiny. I set out to follow the scent of lunar flower, and I promised myself that I _would_ find paradise, if not to satisfy my insatiable longing, then for my mother. I felt that I was born to find it." The warm, cheery sunlight seemed to make this all very, very hard to believe.

"Kiba…" He looked down at Sora, whose face was twisted with both remorse and depression. "I'm so sorry…" He smiled gently.

"The past is the past, my friend; I've moved on from my sorrow, truly. But my own shattered past isn't what you need to know." He looked back down at the pack, the pups and Toboe having settled down and laying by Blue and Hige. Tsume had also joined them, but Riku was still absent. "After we met back up with Cheza, I knew the wolves now felt the same longing that paradise inflicted upon me. We traveled together, so incredibly far, and through so many different obstacles. Blue finally realized that she was half wolf, and joined with us partway through the journey. Darcia became an increasing problem, and ended up being the final conflict in our little escapade. The others do not remember our final ordeal, but I'm cursed to relive it every moment. The memories seem to play like movies in my head.

We all died in the end. Toboe was shot by Darcia, first of all of us. Tsume had treated the pup like his own since the journey began, and cried when he saw his corpse. I'll never forget that, no matter how bad I want to. Since he was a little behind the rest of us for the sake of mourning, he arrived just in time to see a dead Blue, her throat torn out, and to kill an already dying Hige." Sora's visage had taken on a look of horror, and he couldn't help but helplessly look down upon the others with a melancholic wonder. "Tsume helped me wound Darcia, but eventually he was dying as well. I…I…" Kiba had to pause for a moment, a tear sliding down his cheek as he studied his front paws. "I had to kill him myself."

Sora was breathless. Kiba was such an elegant, graceful wolf, so wise and laid back, but this…this was all too much. The chocolate wolf couldn't help but begin to cry softly. He'd endured so much suffering, so much death. "My God…" He looked up at Kiba, intricate tear lines staining his chocolate fur. "You had to…to…_kill_ him?" He quickly entertained the thought of having to kill Riku, but quickly dismissed it. He couldn't even imagine it. He'd seen and experienced a lot of suffering, but this…this was a kind of pain foreign to the keyblade master.

"Yes," Kiba said painfully. "Throughout our journey, we had established an odd love. We always badgered each other, and always argued over the smallest things. Ego battles were inevitable every time I opened my mouth, even though I was the alpha. He was as stubborn and arrogant as I was. Even Cheza, whom he had a fondness for like the rest of us, stirred jealousy in him. But soon into the trip, I began to care for Tsume deeper than the others. Maybe it was through fighting that we fell in love. The god's have an interesting way of doing things like that. But, needless to say, it never really hit me until I had to kill him on that ledge. I don't think it hit either of us until then. But we did indeed love each other."

"What about Hige and Blue? Were they in love, too?" Sora had somehow suppressed his tears now, sniffling before he asked his query. Kiba nodded.

"Yes, they were. They loved each other very much by the time our journey was over. The only difference was that they actually _admitted_ it." Sora had to smile at Kiba's snide comment. "After Tsume's death, I continued to climb that peak that Darcia had taken Cheza and ascended. It finally came down to a battle between me and Darcia, and I fought and fought until I couldn't even use my back legs. Darcia ended up killing himself with Cheza's blood, which was poisoned, since he bit her. Cheza died in my arms, disintegrating into a multitude of flower seeds, and then I too passed away."

"But…paradise…" Kiba looked at him with a grin.

"Ah yes, paradise. You're in it." Sora looked around at the now darkened view around him, stars like broken glass against a purple sky. "We, the planet, the creatures of the earth…all of us were reborn as a result of our adventure. _This_ is paradise." The mocha wolf looked at the alpha.

"And the others don't remember _anything_?" Kiba shook his head slightly.

"When we were reborn, we were also separated. We found each other one at a time. Tsume found Toboe first, and the reunion was a touching one, from what I understand. Hige and Blue met soon after, and then followed Tsume's scent to the pair. They all teamed up to find me, but it was Tsume who reacted first. Everyone was just standing there smiling, and he…well…" Kiba laughed warmly, a pleasant sound that made the keyblade bearer temporarily forget how they had parted ways. "Being the ever so outgoing bastard that he is, he ran to me, roughly grabbed me by the shoulders, and pulled me into the most amazing kiss I'd ever experienced. You see, when we had reunited, all of us had remembered each other, how we met; they remembered everything, except for how they had gotten here. Their memories stopped shortly before Toboe had passed. But mine? No, no; mine was undisturbed. I remembered every detail, and still do. They remain naïve to the graveness of the situation. Cheza's whereabouts were a mystery until I slept that first night, and she came to me in my dreams. She told me that she was here, but locked in the form of a flower. She mustered enough strength to appear in spirit the next day, and we were all relieved to see her, even Tsume. The journey has softened him, as well as me. She still visits me in my dreams, but remains locked in the form of a flower with no way to evade it. And we've been together ever since." Sora grinned.

"So it was happily ever after, in a way?"

"Yeah. I guess it was."

"And now the heartless are trying to destroy your paradise?"

"Exactly." He sighed and curled his tail to his side, looking down at the mocha wolf below him. "Have you ever lost something so near and loved, that you lost part of yourself also?" Sora blinked, looking at the chocolate soil between his frontal paws. He knew exactly what Kiba meant. After all, it had taken him almost three years to find Riku. During that time, he felt as if his heart had been cut in half. He wouldn't rest until he had found him. And when he did, he felt something indescribable. A tear slid down his cheek; but whether it was from the happiness of finding Riku, or knowing Kiba's feeling of defeat, was a mystery.

"Yes, I do." A soft, warm smile became apparent on Kiba's muzzle, another adorning Sora's.

"Then you know exactly what I mean." The alabaster wolf stood, jumped, and gracefully landed in front of Sora. His honeyed eyes locked with Sora's sky-blue ones briefly before he walked to the edge of the cliff. He looked down at his pack members, who were now going into the den. "I just don't want that something ripped away from me, and more so my pack. I can't let this world be salvaged by heartless while knowing how hard it was for us all to make it here." Sora stood up, shook the dirt from his already chocolate pelt, and walked to Kiba's side, smiling gently.

"The heartless have taken a lot from me, too. I know how it feels to have something you love so very much threatened to be taken by the darkness. And I promise you that I'll do everything I can to help you prevent that." Kiba smiled and turned to him, placing his chin on Sora's shoulders. The youth was bewildered for a second, but soon followed suit. The two stood in the wolven embrace for a few silent seconds before Kiba pulled away. The canines then started the descent to the clearing. It was a silent walk home, but one with an air of happiness.

"Thank you, Sora." Sora stopped walking and looked up at Kiba. He turned before entering the den, looking over his shoulder. "You have no idea how much it means to me." Sora smiled and nodded, following the wolf into the darkness of the cavern. He approached a silver wolf near the mouth of the cave, the animal lost in a peaceful slumber. As his chest rose and fell quietly, the blue scrollwork heart on his shoulder caught a sliver of faint moonlight. He curled up next to the male, laying his chin across the ruff of his neck. He'd knew why Riku didn't trust anyone else. And maybe he was a little too trusting of people, but that's just who he was. He was a social butterfly who was in love with a reclusive spider. He smiled and laid his head on top of Riku's. He'd find time to be mad some other time. After hearing Kiba's tale, and of his losses, all he wanted was to feel Riku breathing against him. As his eyes fluttered close, he thought to himself silently about what Kiba had said.

_'I don't know how much it means?'_ He grinned slightly, on the borderline of sleep. _'Yes, Kiba. I do.'_

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**I'm totally a review whore 3**


	8. Chase

Wolfess: A-hunting they will go, a-hunting they will go...

Kiba: -snarls angrily- ENOUGH OF THAT SONG ALREADY!! D:

Wolfess: O.o...geez...alright Hitler...

Kiba: YOU LITTLE...

Tsume: -holding Kiba back- She owns nothing...-Kiba breaks free and pummels Wolfess-...but she does need to reply to her comments! -runs off to the scuffle behind him-

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**_Kovukono:_** Thanks so much!! w

_**Tsuki Fox:**_ xD Thanks so much! You're actually not the first person to tell me this. I've spent a little extra time going over the speaking parts to make sure. Tell me if it gets any better! And little Tsuki really enjoys your username!! :3

_**Renkin-chan:**_ Thanks so much hun!

* * *

**-Chase-**

"Sora! Hey Sora! Wake up! We're going hunting!" Toboe's excitement took his voice to a volume level that all but shredded the once-asleep keyblade master's eardrums. He nudged Sora impatiently, eliciting a blunt groan from the animal. Toboe wagged his tail at the noise, knowing he had finally woken him. Sora looked up, yawning widely, and looked at the twin outlines of the tan pup circle each other until they eventually came in to focus. Blue had taken post shortly after the two had returned from his and the alpha's little jaunt, allowing Sora to get another good night's sleep. This hadn't really done anything to dull his awakening, though…

"Morning Toboe…" Sora said groggily. He beamed at the chocolate wolf.

"We're going hunting! You wanna come?" Surprisingly, his voice had quieted a bit. Maybe he had just been loud to wake him up. Come to think of it, their stash of meat had run out shortly after they all ate last night. Sora sighed, smiling.

"Uh…sure? I may not really be of any use, though. I've never hunted before…"

"Me neither." Sora perked his ears. "This is my initiation hunt for the pack. Tsume's going to teach me how." He smiled.

"That's cool! And we're invited along?"

"Kiba thinks it will be a good idea for us to get out and hunt, especially since you're as inexperienced as I am." Sora snorted, ego clearly a little miffed at being underestimated. But, hey, Kiba had that sort sixth sense that allowed him such information.

"Alright, alright; let me wake grumpy here up." Toboe smiled and nodded, letting the two have their privacy. Sora rolled over, unmolding himself from Riku's back. He just laid there for a minute, eyes shut, with the cool floor against his cheek. Knowing that he couldn't really just lay there all day, he sighed and stretched, standing up. He nudged Riku's shoulder, rousing a grunt from the canine, and repeated the gesture until he turned to look at him. His seafoam eyes almost instantly diverted themselves from his oceanic ones, and he turned his head around to look the other way. "Hey. We've been invited to go on a hunt with Tsume and Toboe." Riku just lay there, immobile.

"Okay." That was it. Sora shook his head as he began to walk out.

"You should probably get up soon if you want to go." He said over his shoulder, not at all menacingly, and with no hint of last night's anger. In fact, he sounded like his cheery, normal self. Well, he did to anyone other than _Riku_, at least.

"Sora…" He stopped as his nails came into contact with the sunlight that poured into the mouth of the den. With warmed toes, he turned to look at the silver wolf. He pushed himself up from his spot on the floor and strode towards the keyblade bearer, keeping a slight distance. His eyes glittered in the faint light. "Listen…about last night…"

"Don't worry about it." He went to leave, but Riku stepped in front of him. How he magically made it from behind him to his current position was a mystery.

"Don't do that, damn it!" He sounded more hurt than aggravated, although he was shooting more for the second emotion. Sora felt his eyes narrow slightly, but he wasn't sure what emotion it was from. "I know I hurt you with what I said, and I thought about it practically all night, and I just wanted to say…" He paused, biting his bottom lip. It was such a human gesture that it caught Sora off guard. _'Shit.'_ He was being serious. "I'm sorry."

"Like I said…don't worry about it." He tried to push past him, but was greeted with nothing but a firmly-planted canine barrier. He looked at Riku, whose expression told him all he needed to know.

"Really…" Sora considered for a moment, not saying anything, and suddenly just started shaking his head.

"We'll talk about this later, Riku." He went to protest, but Sora gave him a gravely serious look. "I'm not mad at you anymore for last night." There was that gorgeous smile, which, in turn, reflected on Riku's face.

"You sure?"

"Positive. Now let's go meet up with the others." They exited the den and saw the pack clustered in a farther corner, over by the lake. They made their way over at the very end of Kiba's monologue.

"…remember that, and you'll do just fine." Toboe nodded excitedly, wagging his tail. Tsume sat next to him, looking proud as ever that his boy was finally going hunting. The others were smiling as well, and even Kiku and Tsuki lay very still, smiling in wonder at the coming-of-age ceremony before them. Toboe smiled and nodded seriously, Kiba turning to see the others.

"Ah. I see Sora and Riku have roused now, too!" Sora smiled.

"Yeah, and we're stoked!" Riku nodded.

"I don't know why, but I've never felt this excited before." The others laughed softly.

"You mean to tell me that you've never been on a hunt before?" Tsume said, looking over at Riku with a cocky grin and beginning their usual ego battle.

"No, I haven't. So what?" Tsume laughed coldly.

"And you call yourself a wolf…"

"You'd better watch it, buddy…" Kiba stepped between them.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Sora asked the alabaster wolf, who was currently shooting warning glares at both other wolves. He sighed, seemingly ignoring Sora's query.

"Tsume, act like the mentor you're _supposed_ to be today. You knew as well as I that he's not from around here. And hunting doesn't make the _wolf_." Tsume rolled his eyes like a scolded child, and Riku smiled maliciously. _'Get him, Kiba…'_ Suddenly, the white alpha turned his golden gaze upon the silver animal. He blinked. "And you need to learn that a sharp tongue will get you nowhere in a pack. Resorting to violence is both foolish and unnecessary, and I will _not_ stand for it here." He looked from one to the other. "Am I clear?" The answer came in unison, which only further agitated the two.

"We'd better get going. C'mon guys!" Toboe still carried his innocent demeanor beside the fact that he was setting out to kill something. Sora laughed at the irony, and they all set off into the woods. They ran for a good mile or so before Tsume, leading the band, slowed to a stop. The others followed suit, both Toboe and Sora standing back, but Riku was right there with him. He took in a few deep breaths, eyes closing as he analyzed the air around him. Riku quickly followed suit, eyes darting open as a sweet, musky scent invaded his nose. It was absolutely _tantalizing_. Much to his amazement, he realized that he wouldn't have noticed it as a human and, even more surprising, he wouldn't know exactly what direction it was coming from, as he did now.

"I can smell something to the north of us right now, over there." He gestured in the direction with his nose, the others following his lead. Tsume gritted his teeth, slightly annoyed that Riku caught a scent first. The silver wolf smiled snidely as he noticed this, but let the gesticulation fade as soon as Tsume began to smile.

"It's a deer, you moron. A doe, to be exact." He snuffed the air once more, and grinned even more wickedly. "Actually, there's about three of them and a few little ones." Riku snorted as Tsume one-upped him. The grey wolf's eyes locked with his adoptive pup's. "You can take down a few of the fawns, Toboe. Well," He looked at Riku, who avoided his gaze and stared at the x-shaped scar of his chest, "you and Riku, since you're both so inexperienced." Toboe smiled.

"Okay! I'll do that then! Are you going after the bigger ones?"

"Me and Sora will take out the does." Sora smiled at Tsume, who grinned back, and gave an enthusiastic nod. He figured it was no different than killing heartless, only he had to do it with his teeth and claws. Riku couldn't figure out for the life of him why Tsume didn't have a problem with Sora, too. He blamed it on the smile…

"Let's go, already!" Riku lunged forward, but Tsume leaped in front of him. Riku glowered at him, annoyed. "What?! Move!" Tsume sighed.

"You obviously don't know anything…" He guffawed slightly. "You can't just charge up on deer, or any other prey for that matter. Damn!" He shook his head disgustedly.

"You have to be very, very quiet, and fan out to encircle them." Toboe spoke up from the back of the group, all of them turning to look at him. "Then, in unison, we surround them, and on the signal, we seize the prey." Tsume smiled proudly.

"That's my boy!" Toboe wagged his tail gently, and Sora gave him a nod of encouragement. Riku just rolled his eyes as Tsume took lead again. He began to walk carefully, picking his way along the underbrush with preciseness that created dead silence. Sora walked close to Riku.

"What is wrong with you?!" Riku looked at his mate, who just glared at him.

"That damn Tsume thinks he know everything. It drives me nuts!"

"So, what you're saying is that his ego is as big as yours, and you're feuding because of it." Riku's mouth opened a few times wordlessly before he hissed at him.

"No! It's not like that!" Sora cocked a brow doubtfully, which only antagonized the silver animal more. "Just forget about it. He'll learn his lesson when I take down one of the does." Sora rolled his eyes.

"He'll be pissed, Riku. No."

"And who are you to tell me no?" Sora stopped walking, glaring at him almost unbelieving that he even said that.

"Are you _trying_ for a repeat of last night?!" Riku sighed.

"No…" He rolled his eyes. "Sorry. His ego just floors me, and someone needs to put that cocky bastard in his place." Sora laughed softly.

"I know the feeling…"

"What did you say?!"

"Hey!" Riku looked up to see Tsume giving him possibly the most malicious look he'd ever received in his life…and he lived with _Sora_…

"What?"

"You wanna knock it off back there? You're bickering like females!" The two both snorted at the thought, and Toboe was the one to finally get them back on track.

"We're here…" They all stopped quarrelling to see that they'd reached the area that Riku had predicted they'd be in. They were just over a small, long hill, like a reversed ditch. At their vantage point, about 50 or so yards off, they could just see the heads of the does over the crest of the mound. They all fell dangerously quiet. Tsume looked at all of them, nodding the direction he wanted them all to go. Much to Sora's surprise, Riku actually _listened_, and they silently surrounded the tiny herd. Constantly monitoring and mapping the positions of those around them, the group crept closer, each small advancement in perfect unison. Sora was surprised at how he seemed to know what to do on an instinctual level; another thing to add to the list of the cool things about wolves. He laid his ears back, flexing his claws into the soil, and readying himself for the lunge he was about to take. The doe about ten yards away was plump and pretty big for a female. He watched her lips move noiselessly as they yanked up little bits of grass and clover, the yearling next to her just standing there looking around. It was a wonder that they hadn't been spotted yet with his wandering eyes. He looked straight across from him, where the taller grasses parted slightly and allowed him a glimpse of a crouched, thunderous grey wolf and his golden eyes. The animal was also sizing up the small band before him, noting the large female, the yearling, and another smaller doe with twin, spotty fawns accompanying her. Tsume, whom Sora had been looking at, made brief eye contact with Toboe and Riku, directing a glance towards the two smallest deer, and they both nodded noiselessly. He looked over at Sora, who smiled and gestured to the bigger doe, and Tsume responded with an approving smile. They all had their targets. All that was left was to pounce…

The entire pack launched out of the grasses at the same exact moment, temporarily freezing the small herd of deer. Sora came down hard on the doe's back, knocking her to the ground. He gave a fearsome snarl as he snapped a few times for her throat, barely missing it each time. The smaller doe craned her neck to see what the commotion was about, and Tsume shot straight for her throat. As she collapsed under the grey wolf, he let go of her neck and looked over to see how Sora was doing. The larger doe bleated helplessly, kicking and wriggling under the chocolate canine with helpless abandon, and eventually threw him off. He landed on his feet, looking over briefly to see that Tsume had taken down the other female, and then gave a hellish bark as he took off after her. Toboe, who had easily killed the twin fawns, and Riku, who'd taken down the yearling, watched as the keyblade master took off after the quadruped.

"Toboe! Help Sora!" Tsume called out, and Toboe nodded as he sprang forward. Riku followed suit, but Tsume caught up with him and shook his head. "No, Riku. Toboe needs this experience. Fall back." Riku nodded, noticing how his kill had gained at least a sliver of respect from the elder animal, and they began a half-hearted run behind the pair.

Sora ran to the left of the doe, having no problem keeping up with her, and snapping at her knees. She bleated windily, and even nipped at the wolf. He grinned maliciously, springing forward and finally catching on to the back of her frontal leg. She bellowed, tumbling a little, but didn't fall. Sora folded his ears back, adrenaline beginning to course through him as the coppery taste of blood splashed his tongue, and picked up the pace. Toboe, whom he had not seen before, suddenly appeared on the doe's opposite side. Sora smiled at the youth, who nodded and grinned back. The tan pup leapt up and snapped aggressively at the female's throat, barely missing it, and causing the doe to sway a little closer to Sora. He seized the opportunity and bit down on her stomach, the doe giving a strangled bleat as blood began to trickle out of her mouth. The keyblade bearer grinned at the thick liquid, his wolven half excited by the sight of it. He suddenly skidded out in front of the animal and launched straight for her throat, meeting the doe head on with razorblade fangs. He dug them into her throat, jaws snapping shut with a sickening sound, and she fell forward. The two began a gruesome looking somersault, and rolled a considerable distance before slamming against a log.

"Sora!" Toboe raced to the cloud of dust that flew up upon their impact, sliding to a halt just a few feet away. His golden eyes fixated on the puff of airborne soil, barely able to eek out the form of the fallen deer. As the air cleared, he was left staring at the fallen form of the doe, and a rather dazed looking Sora sitting between her and the log. He shook his head, fur ruffled and matted slightly with a blood splatter, and then smiled at the pup. "Are you okay?!" Riku burst through a pair of bushes nearby, looking as if he'd been running for his life. He came to a rather ungraceful halt immediately before the deer's carcass, eyes wild.

"Jesus Sora!" He sighed with relief, licking the end of the chocolate wolf's nose. "What the hell?!" Sora coughed.

"I got her!" He stood up and shook himself off, looking more like a shaken dust rag than the proud animal he was, and crawled over her. He was greeted with a loving nuzzle, and licked his mate's cheek. "Really, I'm fine, Riku. Don't have a cow…"

"You've always gotta cause some sort of scene, don't you?" He laughed at the agitation that colored Riku's statement.

"That's me alright…" He looked over at Tsume and Toboe, who were smiling.

"Good job, Sora." Tsume said with a slight bow of his head. He looked at Toboe. "And I'm extremely proud of you, too. You now have two kills on your hands." He grinned ecstatically.

"Thanks dad!" His tail cut through the air with a swishing sound as he wagged it. He nuzzled the elder, who smiled and licked his between the eyes. He was so proud of his boy. Riku waited for his congratulations, but it never came. _'Well, I see he's back to hating me now…'_ Toboe walked back to the fallen deer, biting into the scruff of her neck and tugging. Tsume laughed.

"What're you doing, Toboe?" He looked back at him innocently.

"Well, we've gotta get it back to the clearing, don't we?" Tsume nodded.

"Yes, I guess you're right." He thought briefly about reminding Toboe of his human guise, but decided against it. He needed to learn to be more dependant on his true, wolf form. "Here, I'll help you." He looked back at Sora and Riku. "Sora should be able to drag the other doe by himself. And, if Riku's worth anything, he'll be able to carry those scrawny fawns at the same time. We can come back for that yearling." The silver wolf folded his ears back sharply, but a warning glance from Sora told him to hold his tongue. He snorted.

"Alright. We'll meet back at the clearing, then." Sora said with a forced smile, trying to get Riku away from Tsume as quick as he could. They began to walk off when that sudden ominous feeling flooded his senses. He kept walking, looking at the ground between his paws. Riku noticed this, but said nothing, beginning to survey the forest around them cautiously. They hadn't forgotten the first attack yet, and, come to think of it, they were awfully close to that same stream…

"Riku?"

"Yeah…I know…" The silver wolf's answer was low. Sora's oceanic eyes began to map out the terrain around him, scouting for any sign of the heartless. They were close…

"We should tell the others."

"Yeah…they feel close…" The pair turned to see Tsume and Toboe dragging the carcass towards them, making slow but steady progress. Sora called to them. "Hey…we need to be careful…" The pair looked up, Tsume walking over to the couple while Toboe kept trying to drag the doe. Apparently, he hadn't heard Sora.

"Is something wrong?" Tsume's query was a soft one. Sora's eyes glistened faintly in the light.

"The heartless…they're close…"

"You mean those black things?" Sora nodded gravely.

"And it's getting stronger. We need to…" Suddenly, a silver blur rushed past them and towards the other wolf that they'd seemed to have forgotten about.

"TOBOE!" The tan pup was frozen, looking upwards as a hoard of shadow heartless leapt off of the log and at him. Riku leapt between him and the cluster of demonic creatures, Soul Eater appearing mid-swing as he sliced through the ones that were airborne. He leapt up on the log and snarled demonically, looking back at the pup whose name he'd just yelled. "RUN!" Toboe and Riku began towards the others, the log exploding as another wave of the creatures busted through it. The kingdom key automatically appeared in Sora's mouth as he gave a thunderous bark, ready to fight. But, as Riku rushed past him, he locked eyes with the mocha canine, expression telling him to heed his words rather than turn and fight. He gave a frustrated sigh and took off with the others. Their paws pounded the dirt rigorously, little blurs of color ahead of an ever growing black mass.

"How many were there?" Sora called to Riku, who was running alongside him. The sounds of the advancing creatures behind them made it hard to hear one another.

"Too many to have fought back there…" He looked over to see Toboe beside him, Tsume on the other side of Sora. "You cover Tsume, I'll get Toboe." Sora nodded. He had almost forgotten that the wolves couldn't fight these things. The group galloped on and on until finally gaining some ground on the heartless, coming to a halt in a small area of worn grass. _'The deer must've bedded here…'_ There was a large boulder in the middle of the area, and the keyblade-wielding wolves thought of what to do next in perfect unison.

"Get up on the boulder, you two!" Sora said gently, but firmly. The two nodded and leapt upon the large rock, Toboe standing against Tsume, frightened. Sora and Riku turned to face the group of heartless careening towards them. He looked over at Riku.

"Don't let them get to those two!" Riku nodded, and they both gave a snarl as the heartless washed over them. The wolves up on the boulder watched as white-hot streaks of light, emitting from the slicing keyblades, dissolved heartless after heartless. Tsume, who was used to being the beta of the pack, was almost angry that he wasn't fighting. With a yell, he recklessly leapt off of the boulder and into the throng, snapping aggressively at the animals and snarling. But, to his surprise, the creatures simply _ignored_ him. He stood there as they raced past him, much like he wasn't even there, and continued to try and scale the rock. They weren't after _him_…

"Toboe!" The tan pup looked down at his sire, whom he hadn't even noticed was gone. He leapt back up on the grey mass, Toboe lying against the flat top of the rock, and stood protectively over the pup. He leaned his muzzle close to Toboe's. "I want you to know that no matter what happens, I'm proud of you, and I love you like my own." Toboe nuzzled the grey wolf.

"I love you too, dad, but why're you talking like that?" He looked at the pup, who had on that scarily similar look of determination that his father so often wore. "We'll get through this…I know we will!" Tsume nodded slowly. It just seemed that the heartless were after his son more so than anyone else. Maybe he was feeling this for no reason…

"I'm sorry…I'm just a little protective…" Toboe smiled.

"It's okay." He stood up, Tsume looking down as the keyblades sliced the remaining throng with fervent determination.

"It just…It feels like I've lost you once, somehow…" He looked at the pup. "And I don't want that again…" Toboe smiled and nodded, noticing that the soft sounds of the keyblades' cutting had come to a halt. He looked down over the edge of the rock, seeing a panting Sora and a similarly worn out Riku. Toboe leapt down, the wind from his drop fanning out a circle of the slight black fog from beneath him.

"Are you okay?" Riku looked at him, Sora smiling and answering.

"Yeah…just a little tired…you guys?" Toboe smiled back.

"We're fine." Tsume leapt off of the boulder, taking a stance near his pup.

"Yeah, we're fine…" The four of them just sat there for a moment in a shocked silence, none of them really having expected an assault like that. It had scared them all a little, even _Sora_. "Riku?" The silver wolf looked up at Tsume, holding his breath. "Thank you…" Everyone, even Toboe, was taken aback.

"What did you say?" Riku wasn't sure he'd heard him right. Tsume smiled.

"Thank you for saving Toboe." Riku blinked. "You have no idea how much it means to me…"

"You're welcome?"

"If there's anything I can do to make it up, just…" Riku smiled at him coolly.

"No need. We're a pack now. It's what we do." For a minute, Sora swore that he saw Tsume tear up, but he decided it might've just been his imagination.

"And I'm sorry for not trusting you, both when you showed up, and earlier today. You truly are a great wolf." Riku walked to Tsume, pulling him into a wolven hug like Kiba had done to Sora.

"It's okay. I know how it feels to not be able to trust. It's hard to get over…" He pulled away, looking back into Tsume's golden eyes. "And I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you with my sharp tongue." Tsume laughed.

"If that was one thing I had to applaud you on, it was your comebacks." They both chuckled softly, smiling. The two turned to see both Sora and Toboe staring, jaws dropped, and just started laughing again. The two others also laughed, but Sora knew that the ego-battles were finally over. He was glad to see his mate finally adapting to dealing with anyone except for him and Kairi again.

"Tsume!" They all looked to see Kiba, followed by Hige, cutting through the undergrowth towards them. Tsume smiled as his mate gave him a concerned once-over with his eyes. Hige looked around the place with a smirk.

"Damn! Looks like runt here did a number on this place." He said teasingly. Sora looked around, too, noticing for the first time just how much damage that cloud of heartless had caused. It truly looked like a tornado had gutted the area around them, with all its upturned soil and vegetation. Toboe looked over at Hige.

"We got attacked by those heartless things again." Hige looked at the pup, concern flashing somewhere in his expression.

"Are you guys okay? It looks like you've got control now, but…"

"We're fine, Hige. But they seemed to want…_me_…" Hige laughed.

"Don't be so egocentric. They were probably after everyone _but_ you." Toboe snorted.

"Hige, I'm being serious!" Sora sighed.

"He's right." Hige looked over at the brown wolf. "Even Tsume joined us in trying to kill them, and they still went after Toboe." The portly wolf looked at his paws contemplatively.

"But…why would they want the runt? They were after Kiba a few weeks back…" Sora shrugged.

"I really don't know. They usually target _me_." He sighed and looked around, shaking his head at the carnage. "And they usually aren't so…_aggressive_." Tsume looked over at Sora as he spoke. He didn't know where that sudden pang of emotions had come from when the heartless had gone after Toboe. He instantly felt like he had gone through something similar. But, to his knowledge, he hadn't ever lost Toboe. So why the strong, familiar feeling? He didn't know…

"Whatever the case," He broke free of his thoughts, interrupting the conversing pack around him, "we need to get the kills and get out of here. It should be easier now since all of us are here." The others nodded, and he looked at his pup. "I want you to stay with Riku and Sora, and go with them to get the fawns. Do _not_ leave their sides." He nodded, and the three set off in the direction of the kills. He looked at Hige. "There's a doe over by the boys. Can you get it by yourself? She's not very big, and we can always leave one of the fawns if you can't." Hige shook his head.

"Naw. I should be able to get her." He trotted off, following the others. Tsume waited until they all had left, and then smiled at Kiba.

"You look a bit shaken, Tsume." He stifled a gasp as his mate seemed to read his mind. He looked back into those golden cesspools that Kiba called eyes.

"No, no; I'm fine. I just…got scared for Toboe. That's all." Kiba raised an eyebrow.

"You know I'm not that stupid, love. What's the matter?"

"Nothing Kiba. Just drop it." He said coldly, beginning to walk in the direction of the bigger doe. He walked about five steps before stopping and looking back at the expression he'd expected. Kiba looked genuinely hurt, and Tsume didn't want that more than he didn't want to tell him what was wrong. He sighed. "Alright…I'll tell you on the way to get the other doe." Kiba's expression softened as he joined his mate, walking beside him and threading his fingers through Tsume's. The now grey-haired man didn't object as he squeezed his mate's hand. He figured it'd be easier to carry the doe that way, even if he hadn't wanted Toboe to.

The pack ate together, the evening full of warm conversation and smiles. Aside from the heartless attack, they had all had a pretty good day. Toboe was allowed to eat first, since it was his hunt, followed by Riku and Sora. It was a tradition that some part of the keyblade wielder seemed to understand, but not quite all of him. Regardless, he was irrepressibly hungry, and was quite excited for the meal. He and Riku helped to drag the kills over beside the lake, or what was left of them, after they'd finished. They'd gone through the fat doe and the two fawns, but they'd be able to eat for a little while longer on the other two. Sora hoped they'd be eaten up soon; he actually _wanted_ to go on another hunt. He and Riku discussed the day as they all lay under the stars together, the pair a little offset from the rest of them for privacy's sake. The evening ended with Tsume offering to take first watch, and Blue deciding to take up the second, leaving the rest of the pack to get some rest. Riku and Sora passed out almost as soon as they laid down, bringing a smile to the alpha's face as he walked by them. Toboe was similarly quite exhausted. They'd get used to it eventually. He lay in rear portion of the den, in the little nook where he'd been healing up. The white wolf looked upwards and through the crack in the ceiling, smiling at the moon. In two days, it would be full and shining, and the excitement that burned in the wolf was indescribable. As he lay his head on his front paws and closed his eyes, he sighed at the sight behind his eyelids.

The wan illumination from all the lunar flowers made the darkness of the sky look demonic in a way, stars strewn across it and emitting a purple glitter. The moon practically engulfed the sky itself, shining down on the wolf with a spectacular feeling of adrenaline and electricity. He looked forward, seeing Tsume, Toboe, and Hige all running in circles in a small puddle of water. He smiled, walking to them, and sighed in happiness as Cheza appeared in the middle of the excitement. As she ruffled his fur, the others began to sing, their melancholic songs a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack to the memory that played in his mind.


	9. Heartless Don't Bleed

Saying sorry is an understatement…I'm SORRY [the caps make it better xD] for abandoning this fic! The truth is that I have another story [an original fantasy novel, actually] that I'm planning on getting published in the near future, and I've been working on it non-stop for the past couple months. This story and the other one were actually both stopped at chapter 8 when this craziness started, and now Save Me From Myself [the fiction story] is haflway through 14. It's just been chaos…but I finally got back in the swing of updating both simultaneously! This chap is short but sweet, and I plan on trying to synchronize working on them again. Thank you to all of you who've reviewed and given DiP so much love! I'm so very grateful to have fans that put up with me x3 I love you guys, and happy reading! |*| Wolfess |*|

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Riku appeared nothing more than a silver blur as he wove in and out of a never ending spread of tall, gusting pines. The needles in the canopy were dense and tangled, blocking out a cloudless, blood-red sky. The wolf was panting heavily, sides heaving, and the adrenaline that coursed through him was mixed with a stronger dose of raw, unbridled terror. He looked around him wildly, mapping an escape, and was faced with never-ending pines. He gave an angry yell, surging forward, and stumbled abruptly into a deep riverbed. His sliding stop generated a bit more dust than it should have as he came to a halt on the bottom of the fissure, turning his seafoam eyes to the skies. The red that painted that which should've been blue was unreal; it looked as if someone had smeared the heavens with freshly spilt blood. It was void of any birds, a sun, stars, or a moon, remaining just a naked canvas of crimson. The air was silent, heavy with the smell of death, decay, and worse, and the wind that had been blowing angrily through the pines had come to an eerie standstill. A scream sounded clear and loud on the air, the hackles along his spine raising almost immediately from both alarm and rage. He would know that sound anywhere! With a snarl just as primal as the cry had been, he leapt forward towards the sound of his mate.

As his paws came into contact with the ground once more, the scenery around him had suddenly changed. He was no longer in the dusty, barren riverbed. Instead, he stood in a clearing surrounded by that same never-ending forest on three sides, the remaining side behind him a tall, jagged, and unwelcoming wall of crystal. The ground was made up of the same bleach-white, glittering material. He flipped around, taking in his new surroundings with confusion. As he contemplated the change in atmosphere, he heard another cry, this time from Kiba's throat. The silver wolf froze as he followed the noise, looking back towards the pines and starting towards them without a second thought. As he ran towards the tree front it seemed to get farther away, and soon he was hearing Kiba's pleading whimpers and Sora screaming for his help in unison. He pushed himself to run harder, faster, but the treefront seemed to sink back from the clearing more and more. The chorus of distress grew softer and softer until it died, and with its halt came a halt to his useless pursuit. Tears stung the corners of his eyes as confusion overwhelmed him. Riku shook his head back and forth, bewildered and angered, and turned to face the rock wall behind him. Maybe if he found a way to climb it, he could help them! His gaze traveled up the wall of glassy rock until it disappeared from sight, allowing them to slide back into the red abyss of the sky and the moon that had newly appeared there. He stared at the pearlescent orb, knowing full well that it hadn't been there before, and a column of silver light began drifting down from it. He followed the illuminated braid until he saw that which it was lighting up. Tsume stood in front of him, directly in front of the wall, and Riku sighed with relief.

"Thank God you're here!" He looked back at the forest. "Come on! We have to go help them!" He started towards the woodland but stopped as he noticed Tsume remained motionless. He looked back at him. "What the hell is wrong with you?! We need to go get Kiba and Sora!" The gray wolf was seemingly frozen, lifeless at best, and Riku took another step towards him. "Tsume?" He stifled a small-horrified noise as he noticed Tsume's eyes were missing. He took a step back, appalled, and shook his head in disbelief. He looked up at the moon again. The orb was white and shining for mere seconds before, with a sound resembling Sora crumbling up paper, a small mass of black appeared in the center and spread to cover the disc. _'What the hell?!'_ The beacon of light similarly shifted hues, and he looked back at Tsume to see that the color wasn't the only thing that had changed.

"Hello Riku." He bared his teeth as Ansem stood where Tsume had been. He looked exactly like the guise Riku had worn for all that time, the bottom edges of the trenchcoat tattered and billowing slightly. The wolf gave a hellish snarl, ears folded against his head.

"What did you do to my friends?!" The man laughed, the sound brushing some intimate place in Riku's mind with shards of broken glass. It took almost all of his self-control not to shiver.

"Don't humor me, son. We both know that no one could ever befriend or love people like us. We are children of darkness, you and I…"

"No!" He shook his head angrily, still grimacing and flashing razor blade canines. "No! The darkness doesn't control me anymore, _you_ don't control me anymore! I'm nothing like _you_, and I'm certainly not your son!" That laugh sounded again, and he winced slightly.

"Oh come now, my son…" He stepped towards him tone mocking as well as casual, and the wolf immediately crouched as if ready to pounce. "We both are aware of the presence of darkness in the human heart. It's as natural as love, happiness, and all other benevolent emotions. Everyone hides it within their conscience. But only those strong enough to come to terms with that can use it."

"You're wrong!" He raised a brow at the wolf, standing directly in front of Riku now. The shadow from the moon had, creepily, followed him. "There's darkness in everyone's hearts. I understand that better than anyone ever could. But those who think they can control it completely are fools! It eventually controls them in the end, and they become obsessed with it, like _you_. There is _nothing_ good that comes from darkness!" A small, wry smile graced the man's tan features.

"Of this, you are not mistaken. The darkness is addicting, controlling, and manipulates the soul." His wicked smile widened considerably until he looked like something akin to the Cheshire cat. "But others may be blind to exactly that. Your friends will fall, just like you did. Your friends will fail, just like you did. And your friends will become something they can't stand to look at, just like you…"

"Shut up!" A thunderclap sounded from his throat as he cut up through Ansem with Soul Eater, landing behind the now diagonally sliced man. He landed behind him and flipped to face him, ready to lunge again if need be. With a start, his eyes landed on empty space. Ansem's laughter sounded all around him, echoing into the forest, and bouncing off of the crystal wall with a haunting reverberation. He shook his head vigorously as if it would block out the sound. _'I'm going crazy…'_

"You were weak when your friends needed you the first time. You fell prey to the darkness in your heart as easily as you fell for the boy with the keyblade. And now, after you've ran and ran from it, the darkness is catching up to you again…" Riku shut his eyes tightly, Soul Eater disappearing in a cloud of black dust. He continued to shake his head, slowly now, from side to side. "But this time, are you so sure it's _you_ it's after?" He blinked then looked up, back towards the tree front, and caught his breath in his throat. Tsume stood in front of him again, dripping with blood, and still void of any eyes.

"Tsume?" He whispered the wolven's name, but as he uttered it, the animal was suddenly enveloped in licking black flames. His eye sockets became aflame with golden light and, as he stepped towards Riku, he made that same soft yet menacing hiss that the heartless did. He'd slipped into his anti-form. Riku shook his head. "No…" Riku backed up slowly, calling for Soul Eater, but it never came. Tsume got closer and closer until the silver wolf's backside rested against the glassy wall behind him. The heartless Tsume stopped, parted his jaws in a wolfish smile, and started laughing hysterically like a madman. He gulped, staring into the lifeless yellow light that had taken up residence in Tsume's sockets, and was about to run for it when his peripherals slipped to the fuzzy masses on either side of him. Sora and Kiba were near the tree line, both lying in bloody, crumpled heaps, and neither of them were moving. A stabbing pain in his gut told him that they weren't going to, either. He laid his ears back, tearing his eyes away from the bloody corpse of his mate. "You bastard!" Tears began to fall from his eyes and he leaped at Tsume's throat, a hatred he hadn't felt even when trapped in the darkness welling somewhere deep in his chest. He hit his target with precise accuracy, feeling his fangs sink deep into the wolf's flesh, and he clamped down with as much strength as he could send into his powerful jaws. Blood as black as the shadows cloaking Tsume ran from the corners of his mouth and stained his muzzle, running rivers down the animal's chest that it belonged to. He hung from the heartless with dead weight, pulling and pulling, until the whole of Tsume's throat slipped out of his neck and into the keyblade bearer's mouth with a sickening _plop_. He pushed himself up and spat it out, panting out of a mix of horror and adrenaline, and stared down at the messy, shredded mass of muscle at his feet. A deep, throaty chuckle sounded from the creature that was once Tsume and Riku looked back into its eyes with raw, unbridled terror. A malevolent smile spread across it's muzzle, showcasing a mouthful of teeth that were too sharp, and the yellow of it's eyes burned red.

"Oh come now, Riku." He shook his head at the sound of Tsume's voice, shocked and scared, and it stepped closer to the silver animal. He shut his eyes tightly as the creature's muzzle stopped uncomfortably close to his ear. The whisper was faint, but it was clear enough to engrave it in his memory forever. "You of all people should know that heartless don't bleed…"

With a start, Riku shot up with a yelp. He sent Sora, who'd been curled up next to him, scrambling sideways with a similar noise and leaping to his feet. The kingdom key appeared in a flash of bright, bleached light that resembled a strike of lightening. He looked all around wildly and saw nothing but the sleeping others and rain outside the mouth of the cave. He looked back at his mate, finding him sitting staring at his paws and breathing heavily. He dismissed the tool as quickly as he'd summoned it and walked over to him.

"Riku?" The silver wolf didn't answer. He leaned towards him and was shocked to see tears streaming down his face and onto the rocky floor. He tried to nuzzle him, but the wolf leaned away as if Sora would strike him. He winced. "Riku?" His mate suddenly fell against him, sliding down his front legs and sprawling on the floor helplessly. He began sobbing.

"Sora…Sora I…" the rest was lost in a wave of shakes and soft sobs, the chocolate wolf hesitating before lying down. He folded his paws to his chest, laying his head on Riku's ever-shifting ribcage. He pressed his chin down just enough to let Riku feel it, giving him a sort of canine hug, and allowed him to cry. They lay like that for some time before the shivers and tears came to a slow stop. The keyblade bearer waited a few moments before he spoke.

"You wanna talk about it?" Riku hesitated.

"No." The answer wasn't meant to be cold, but Sora was the only person that would ever have known it. He nodded.

"Nightmare, right?" The silver wolf nodded and Sora sighed. "I thought they had stopped by now."

"They'll never stop, Sora…" The answer was filled with as much hopelessness as he currently felt. Sora sighed. He knew any further pursuit of the question would produce just as many results as he was currently getting, no matter how much he badgered.

"Well, we can talk when you're ready. I love you, Riku."

"I love you too…" With that, the conversation came to a complete halt and Sora slipped into a dead sleep. Riku watched the heavy drops of rain splash to the ground outside the den, thundering heart finally slowing. He thought the nightmares would've stopped by now, too. Truthfully, he hadn't had one in a while. He wondered if he would ever really be free from Ansem. Would he be plagued and followed all his life like this? Forever harassed by nightmares and silhouettes? He shook his head, forcing his eyes shut, and listening to the rhythmic tinkling of the rain on the step outside the mouth of the den. His future was still a mystery. The fact that the darkness was gaining strength, getting just as strong as he feared it might, was not.


End file.
